“Ben Ray Luján just gave Hakeem Jeffries a big gift: A clearer path to the speaker’s chair,” Politico reports.

“Luján’s decision to jump into the New Mexico Senate race — waiving the chance to move up in House leadership — removes a potential rival for Jeffries (D-NY).”

“Luján, Jeffries and Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL) are widely considered the leaders of the next generation of House Democrats. They’re the ones who will pick up the mantle from Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) when the septuagenarian triumvirate eventually moves on.”