Jeffries congratulates Trump: Dems don't "believe in election denial"

• "Our Democracy is precious and it involves elevating public trust in our system of free and fair elections, not undermining it. We cannot love America only when we win," Jeffries said.
• "The American people have spoken. I congratulate President-elect Donald J. Trump."

Between the lines: The statement comes after several senior Democrats left wiggle room last month on whether they would vote to certify the election.

• But Jeffries and other Democratic leaders have long dismissed the notion of an organized effort to object to a Trump Electoral College victory.
• That is a departure from Republicans' reaction to President Biden's win in 2020, when they engaged in a wide-ranging effort to nullify the results.

State of play: Jeffries issued the statement just ahead of a scheduled House Democratic caucus call at noon, in which Democrats are expected to discuss their worse-than-expected showing in the 2024 election.

• The Democratic leader stopped short of conceding the battle for the House as several races in the West remain too close to call.
• "It has yet to be decided who will control the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress. We must count every vote and wait until the results in Oregon, Arizona and California are clear," he said.