**Democratic control of the House after the 2026 midterms drives trader consensus toward Hakeem Jeffries as the next Speaker.** Multiple election forecasts and prediction markets assign Democrats roughly 90% or higher odds of securing a majority, reflecting their strong generic ballot leads, President Trump’s approval challenges, economic pressures on affordability, and the typical midterm penalty for the president’s party. As current House Minority Leader, Jeffries stands as the presumptive Democratic nominee under standard caucus procedures. Republican candidates such as Mike Johnson, Jim Jordan, and Steve Scalise trail significantly because GOP retention of the chamber appears unlikely. Secondary Democratic figures like Pete Aguilar and Katherine Clark register modest probabilities as potential leadership alternatives but remain well behind Jeffries in internal party positioning. Recent campaign activity has centered on Democratic messaging around costs and accountability, with no major late shifts altering the outlook in the final weeks before Election Day.