Hakeem Jeffries

Representative Hakeem Jeffries stood inside a union hall in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley on Sunday, under a banner that read “AFFORDABLE” in oversize red letters.

In case the message was not clear enough, the lectern the New York Democrat stood behind blared the same slogan — “Fighting for an Affordable America” — with the word “affordable” several sizes larger than the others.

Then Mr. Jeffries, who was here in one of the nation’s most competitive congressional districts to mark the final 100 days of a campaign he hopes will win his party the House majority and him the speakership, made sure nobody missed the pitch.

“House Democrats are fighting for an affordable America” Mr. Jeffries told the crowd of several dozen supporters gathered in Bethlehem. “House Democrats are fighting to lower the cost of groceries, gas and housing.”

It is a theme that Democrats are betting will rally voters behind them as they battle for control of Congress, and Mr. Jeffries has made it clear that he means to keep returning to it time and again as he works to persuade voters to reject Republicans in places like this one around the country.

“That American dream is fading,” Mr. Jeffries said. “And the leaders who should be fighting to keep the dream alive are putting it further out of reach.”

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