The Vote That Changed Everything
The House voted Tuesday to condemn socialism in all its forms. The final count on the measure was 220 to 192. Every Republican voted yes on the resolution known as H.Res. 1490. However, 192 Democrats voted against their own party’s leadership. Two Democratic members crossed party lines to save the vote from failure. These two members helped pass a procedural rule needed to bring the bill to the floor. Without their help, the rule would have failed due to five Republican rebels.
Rep. Jared Golden from Maine and Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez from Washington cast the deciding votes. They voted yes on the procedural rule by a margin of 209 to 208. This rule unlocked the final vote on the resolution itself. Later that day, both women also voted yes on the resolution condemning socialism. Their actions sparked a massive internal fight within the Democratic Caucus. Per RedState, this move left the minority party in absolute disarray.
Leadership Points Fingers at Each Other
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries claimed he received no warning about the plan. He told reporters to ask Whip Katherine Clark for answers. Jeffries called the defections a significant breach of trust. He stated the situation “necessitates a serious response.” Punchbowl News reports that Jeffries stated the move by two colleagues to surprise the full House Democratic Caucus and ally with the Republican majority to enact a procedural rule just before its potential collapse constitutes a major breach of trust. He added that they asked the Committee on Caucus Rules to act quickly.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi also weighed in on the chaos. She contrasted the current mess with her own time leading the party. She noted that members did not vote for the other side during her tenure. “Voting for the rule is something that I, as Speaker, we never — we didn’t even consider that anybody would do that,” she said. She added, “We never had that problem. So I’m disappointed that they did that.” Leadership has subsequently sent Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez to the Committee on Caucus Rules. Axios reports that members are already discussing stripping their committee assignments.
The Record on Socialism and Citizenship
The resolution specifically names the Democratic Socialists of America as a target. It cites their support for noncitizen voting and abolishing the Senate. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise made the link to elections clear. He stated that they denounce not only socialism but also the concept of non-American citizens participating in elections, noting this is included in their platform. The measure also backs the SAVE America Act to limit voting to citizens. It urges the House to uphold the Constitution and its rules.
Eight Democrats broke with the rest of their caucus to vote yes. These members included Don Davis, Vicente Gonzalez, and Henry Cuellar. Kathy Castor, Gabe Vasquez, and Darren Soto also joined the yes votes. The only Independent in the House, Kevin Kiley, voted yes as well. Two other Democrats voted present instead of yes or no. House Democrat Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar explained the objection to the measure. “We’re capitalists. We believe in a capitalist system and rules and laws.” He accused Republicans of using the resolution to force another vote on the SAVE America Act.
