Democrats Are Fuming at Two Moderates Who Helped Bail Out Republicans

Two moderate Democrats bailed out House Republicans from an embarrassing loss on the floor thanks to a revolt from House conservatives, leaving their Democratic colleagues fuming.

Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state voted alongside Republicans to move forward with debate on several bills, including a provision to condemn socialism that Republicans are expected to tout on the campaign trail. Their “yes” votes caught Democratic leadership completely by surprise.

Members of Democratic leadership said in a statement Tuesday night that they plan to take quick action against the pair. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said they have asked the Committee on Caucus Rules — which recommends changes for how the party handles legislative priorities — to take up the issue.

“The decision by two of our colleagues to blindside the entire House Democratic Caucus and join with the Republican majority to pass a procedural rule on the brink of failing represents a significant breach of trust,” they wrote. “It is an action that necessitates a serious response.”

Jeffries told reporters earlier in the day that he did not know that those Democrats, whose votes were decisive in advancing the procedural measure, were planning to vote with Republicans.

A Democratic leadership aide told reporters that leadership does not whip votes on procedural rules as minority members. It’s extremely rare for a member to cross party lines to support the opposition’s agenda.

“I am fucking livid,” another House Democratic aide, who requested anonymity to speak freely, told NOTUS.

Golden is not running for reelection, while Gluesenkamp Perez is defending her seat in a race the Cook Political Report has deemed a “toss up.” Golden told reporters that he voted in favor of the rule in order to advance a bill he sponsored, the Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act, that was part of the rule package.

Golden added that it was not necessary to inform leadership because “everyone in all of Congress knew exactly what I would do this week for Maine fishermen.”

“The idea that anyone represents their constituents, came here, introduces a bill to support that constituency, would do anything but vote for it is fucking nuts,” Golden said. “Could you imagine going home to your constituents and being like, ‘I was trying to help you, but I had to vote no?’”

Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee, said he is “very disappointed” in the pair, adding that “this makes us look like them,” referring to Republicans, who frequently squabble with each other.

Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-California) told NOTUS that she similarly does not support members of the caucus voting with Republicans on procedural measures.

“No, obviously, I voted no,” Jacobs said when asked if she thinks Democrats should be crossing the aisle on rule votes. “I think unity is incredibly important in the Democratic caucus.”

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois), a longtime member, told NOTUS that Democrats should be working together.

“I don’t know what it was meant to mean, but I’m not for that,” Schakowsky said. “They should not have done that, I think.”

Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Georgia) said that although representatives can vote the way they feel best helps their constituents, he was disappointed to see Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez break with leadership on a rule vote.

“I hate that we had the opportunity to win that vote for the American people, and that we had some people on the team that couldn’t go along with it,” Bishop said. “At the end of the day, each of us has to live with our own conscience, and we’ve got to let our conscience guide us in terms of what our constituents would ask of us.”

Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), who is also in a “toss up” race, told NOTUS that while his district is different from many Democrats hold across the country, he has a “very open relationship” with leadership. He noted that he would have shared how he planned to vote in a similar situation.

“I tell them what I’m going to do ahead of time. I don’t hide from what I’m going to do,” Gonzalez said. “If you like it, fine. If not, we care about the people in our district.”

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who earlier in the day told Politico she was disappointed in the two members and “never had that problem” with a rule vote in her time as speaker, told NOTUS that she ultimately suspected the rule might have advanced even without Democrats’ help.

“The Republicans probably had a couple of votes up their sleeve anyways,” Pelosi said.

But members of Republican leadership also signaled to reporters on Tuesday that they were not aware Democrats would cross the aisle to support the rule. In a press conference just after the vote, Speaker Mike Johnson did a victory lap.

“Many of you thought that would not happen today, but we passed a rule to continue business this week,” Johnson said. “Republicans are here to work. We have a lot more left to do.”

This story was updated to include a statement from Democratic leadership.