LEADER JEFFRIES ON FOX: “AFFORDABILITY WAS ON THE BALLOT, AND AFFORDABILITY WON THROUGHOUT AMERICA”

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on FOX News' Special Report with Bret Baier where he outlined how Democrats from coast to coast are committed to lowering costs and making life more affordable for everyday Americans.

BRET BAIER: Well, even though Democrats won big in the off-year elections last night, there is a party divide. Here to talk about that, the government shutdown and response to President Trump, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Mr. Leader, thanks for the time. I want to start with what exactly I asked President Trump at the very beginning, which is how do you read the results from last night?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, it was a decisive win for the American people. Affordability was on the ballot, and affordability won throughout America. Donald Trump, of course, promised that costs would go down on day one. Costs haven't gone down. Costs have gone up. Housing costs through the roof, child care costs through the roof, groceries through the roof, electricity bills skyrocketing across America. And now, because my Republican colleagues refuse to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, we know that for tens of millions of Americans who are now in the open enrollment period, they are experiencing dramatically increased premiums, co-pays and deductibles. In some cases, working-class Americans being asked to absorb increases of $1,000 or $2,000 per month. America is too expensive, and something needs to be done about it decisively.

BRET BAIER: I want to talk to you about the government shutdown in just a minute. Is the incoming New York mayor, Mamdani, going to drag down moderates in your party next year?

LEADER JEFFRIES: I think the connective tissue that we saw across the country, including as it relates to the Mayor-elect's campaign, in New Jersey and in Virginia, was the notion that, as Democrats, we are going to fight hard to make life more affordable. Far too many people are struggling to live paycheck to paycheck. They're working hard and they're playing by the rules, but they can't get ahead. In fact, they can barely get by. And that should not be the case in this country, the wealthiest country in the history of the world.

BRET BAIER: Here's what Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said about Mayor-elect Mamdani and his race.

RECORDING OF REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: He had to not just defeat a Republican. He had to defeat a Republican and the old guard of the Democratic Party at the same time. The Democratic Party cannot last much longer by denying the future, by trying to undercut our young, by trying to undercut the next generation.

BRET BAIER: So there is a divide there, and I guess the question to you, Mr. Leader, is, are you part of the old guard or the future that Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez talks about, about her and Mayor-elect Mamdani?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, ultimately, I think that's a question, Bret, that the people that I represent are going to have to decide. In the House, as you know, we have a two-year employment contract, and every two years we have to go back to the voters and make our case as to whether we are continuing to deliver for the American people, the people we're privileged to represent, in ways that improve their quality of life. That's what Democrats are all about at this moment, House Democrats in particular. We recognize that America deserves better than where things are at right now, that we need to drive down the high cost of living, we need to fix our broken healthcare system and we also need to clean up corruption across the board-in Congress, at the Supreme Court and, of course, as it relates to this administration.

BRET BAIER: You've had Democratic Socialists like Mamdani win, though, and there have been supporters, including yourself, who endorsed him. But the Democratic Socialists of America, this is what their platform is: abolish mandatory minimums and cash bail, establish universal rent control, greatly reduce U.S. military budget, amnesty for all immigrants, full voting rights to non-citizens and national popular vote for President. So do you sign on to that new side of your party with those stipulations?

LEADER JEFFRIES: It's very interesting that you asked that question. Here's what Democrats stand for. We believe in a country with a strong floor and no ceiling. In this great country of ours, when you work hard and play by the rules, there should be no ceiling to the success that you can achieve for yourself, for your family and for your children. At the same period of time as Democrats, we do believe in a strong floor and that includes Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, veterans benefits and nutritional assistance. Things that, unfortunately, my Republican colleagues are cutting right now as we speak, with an agenda that's designed just to benefit the wealthiest amongst us, and that's what was done in their One Big Ugly Bill.

BRET BAIER: I want to talk about healthcare in just a second, but this is the last thing about Mamdani. How did you come to endorse Zohran Mamdani? And contrast that with the Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who not only didn't endorse him, he didn't say how he voted. Take a listen.

RECORDING OF REPORTER: Today is Election Day in New York City. Did you vote for Mamdani or Cuomo?

RECORDING OF CHUCK SCHUMER: Look, I voted, and I look forward to working with the next mayor to help New York City.

BRET BAIER: I mean, you guys live blocks away from each other in Brooklyn. How did you come to the different calculus as far as your endorsement than Senator Schumer did?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I issued a statement. That statement certainly speaks for itself. And as Leader Schumer said-and he of course speaks for himself as well-we have to all collectively now make sure that everyone who was elected, that Zohran is a successful mayor for the good of everyone, people who voted for him and people who voted against him. We certainly have to make sure, of course, that Mikie Sherrill, who had a decisive victory in New Jersey, crushed the Republican opposition, that she's successful. She ran on affordability. And we all have to work to make sure that, of course, Abigail Spanberger, who had an incredibly decisive victory-I think it was 14 or 15 points, nobody apparently saw that coming on the other side of the aisle-that she's successful because everyone is focused on making life more affordable for the American people.

BRET BAIER: And I talked about the massive spreads today on air, and it was significant in those two states. I want to talk to you about the government shutdown. There is talk of deals up on the Hill, possibly appropriations bills as well as a continuing resolution passing before Veterans Day, including paying veterans before Veterans Day. Would you be open to any of that at this point? And what happens if moderate Democrats kind of undercut this standoff like they did last year, last March?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, what we've indicated as House Democrats is that we will be open to any bipartisan agreement that emerges from the Senate in good faith as long as it, of course, reopens the government, that it enacts a spending agreement that is actually designed to make life better for working-class Americans, middle-class Americans and everyday Americans, while at the same time decisively addresses the Republican healthcare crisis, which includes but is not limited to the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. That hurts people all across the country, regardless of whether they're a Republican, a Democrat or an Independent. We're fighting for the American people. Hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health centers are closing all throughout America, including in Louisiana or in Alabama. And these are states that cannot absorb what, unfortunately, has come out of the One Big Ugly Bill, and we think this needs to be decisively addressed.

BRET BAIER: And Republicans are saying they're willing to negotiate on that. They'll put it in the bill, in this negotiation, but they want to open the government first. They want a deal with air traffic controllers, they want to pay veterans, they want to do it this weekend. So that's why I asked that question. I want to ask you one more thing. You've called former Speaker Nancy Pelosi your mentor. She said this about the President of the United States the other day.

RECORDING OF SPEAKER EMERITA NANCY PELOSI: It'll sound like I'm awful about Trump, because he's just a vile creature. The worst thing on the face of the earth, but anyway.

RECORDING OF ELEX MICHAELSON: You think he's the worst thing on the face of the Earth?

RECORDING OF SPEAKER EMERITA NANCY PELOSI: I do, yeah. I do. Because he's the President of the United States, and he does not honor the Constitution of the United States.

BRET BAIER: A vile creature, the worst thing on the face of the earth. Do you stand by what your mentor, Congresswoman Pelosi, said about the President?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Emerita Pelosi, is a legendary figure, a hero. She's done so much for so many over so many years. She speaks powerfully. She speaks authentically. She speaks eloquently on issues of importance to the American people.

BRET BAIER: Even in that moment?

LEADER JEFFRIES: As I indicated, Nancy Pelosi is a legend. She has done more for people here in this country than almost every single American who has served in the House of Representatives. She's a force of nature. She's made a difference in the lives of millions of people, and it's been an honor and a privilege to serve with her over these years that I've spent in Congress.

BRET BAIER: Leader Jeffries, we appreciate you coming on. We welcome you back to Special Report.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you.

Full interview can be watched here.

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