Celebrities speak out as Hakeem Jeffries bids for House Speaker role

Eric Benét and Mark Ruffalo have shared social media posts regarding the House Minority Leader amid Democratic success in the

Nov 5, 2026 0

Celebrities speak out as Hakeem Jeffries bids for House Speaker role

Hakeem Jeffries, www.thegrio.com — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) looks on during a press conference at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee headquarters on November 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. Democrats successfully flipped control of both the House and Senate following historic wins in the 2026 midterm elections, shifting the balance of power in Washington. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Eric Benét and Mark Ruffalo have shared social media posts regarding the House Minority Leader amid Democratic success in the midterm elections.

As House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries eyes the coveted role of Speaker of the House, critics have weighed in with demands for change. Count opinions from singer Eric Benét and actor Mark Ruffalo among those calls as the Democratic party celebrates historic success in the midterm elections.

In a video shared on social media, Benét claims that Jeffries is “bought and paid for,” in a melodic singsong performance from the car. “He can’t be the speaker on the new House floor,” he continued, calling for “everybody” to join in.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Eric Benét (@ericbenet)

A petition to replace Jeffries was launched on Change.org by Nicole Whitted and has garnered 737,063 verified signatures. Whitted, who is described by Newsweek as an author and Democratic supporting social media creator, wrote on petition, “We believe the Speaker should represent the Democratic voters, not just the Democratic establishment.” It is also noted that she is a Change Ambassador who receives compensation in connection with this petition.

Mark Ruffalo shared the online appeal on the social media platform BlueSky and wrote “Sign this petition if you want a new speaker of the house.”

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 25: Mark Ruffalo attends the AFI FEST 2026 presented by Canva red carpet premiere of “Being Heumann” at TCL Chinese Theatre on October 25, 2026 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for AFI)

Jeffries, who would make history as the first Black Speaker of the House, formally announced his candidacy to serve as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives on Wednesday (Nov 4.) Ultimately if voted in by his peers, Jeffries would stand second in line to the President of the United States, and hold the only leadership position in Congress mandated by the U.S. Constitution.

“We must now deliver the dramatic change the American people are demanding in the majority,” he wrote in a letter for candidacy to serve as the 57th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

“In the new Congress, we will aggressively fight for an affordable America. Life is way too expensive, and millions of hardworking taxpayers are drowning in this failed economy. As part of our effort to turn things around, every single member of our majority will play a meaningful role.”