Progressive House members are being pressured to back Hakeem Jeffries for Speaker, and this is being framed as bad news for anyone hoping Democrats push real change after the midterms.

• A House vote for Speaker is set for later this month, and most Democrats are expected to fall in line behind Jeffries despite grumbling.
• Only a couple of newly elected members have publicly said they might vote no, while others appear to be caving under pressure during orientation week.
• Critics say Jeffries is backed by defense contractors, big finance firms, and the Israel lobby, and accuse him of using race as a shield against criticism of his record.
• Callers are reportedly flooding lawmakers' offices demanding a no vote, with one office reporting hundreds of calls in just a couple of days.
• A similar fight is brewing in the Senate over Chuck Schumer's leadership role, with at least one senator floated as a possible challenger.

Outlook: The real test comes at the Speaker vote later this month — if most Democrats back Jeffries anyway, expect louder backlash from the party's progressive base.