With calls from progressives growing for congressional Democrats to choose new leaders, a movement is building to have US Rep. Ayanna Pressley challenge Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for the speakership next year.

A Change.org petition launched this week is urging Democratic lawmakers to make Pressley speaker, arguing that the Massachusetts Democrat “represents a beacon of hope and integrity in a tumultuous political landscape.”

“We believe that as speaker of the House, Ayanna Pressley would bring her innovative spirit and unwavering resolve to tackle the pressing challenges facing our nation,” the petition states. “Her ability to foster meaningful conversations and build bridges across the political aisle makes her uniquely qualified for this pivotal role.”

The petition also praises Pressley’s leadership style, which it says is “marked by transparency and inclusivity”—traits that align “with what the majority of Americans want to see in their government.”

As of this writing, the petition has gathered more than 18,000 signatures.

While Pressley has not shown any intention of launching a challenge to Jeffries’ (D-NY) speakership bid, she said in a Tuesday social media post that Democrats need to act boldly to meet voters’ expectations.

“Republicans have been flooding the zone with lawlessness, cruelty, and corruption,” Pressley wrote. “And Democrats have a mandate to match their energy—boldly and unapologetically. It’s not enough to be the adults in the room. We have to prove that we are the FIGHTERS in the room.”

According to a tally published Wednesday by Drop Site, 49 House Democrats so far have pledged to support Jeffries for speaker, with 23 Democrats uncommitted and zero Democrats outright opposed. Jeffries needs to secure 218 votes in the next Congress to ascend to the speakership.

Following last week’s midterm elections, progressives have called for Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who aims to continue leading the Democrats in the Senate, to step aside and make way for leaders who better reflect the Democratic base.

Polls have shown a majority of Democratic voters support Medicare for All and an end to US military aid for Israel, for example, which both Jeffries and Schumer oppose.

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