Two Democratic rebels are facing fury from their own party after helping Republicans push forward their agenda in a stinging betrayal.
Democrats Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington State and Jared Golden of Maine sided with Republicans, voting for a ‘rule’ to support moving forward legislative items favorable to the GOP.
That included advancing a bill to condemn socialism and calling for a crackdown on election fraud – signature Republican-led efforts.
Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar slammed the defectors, saying they were ‘blindsided.’
‘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.’
‘It is an action that necessitates a serious response, and we have asked the Committee on Caucus Rules to take this up in short order.’
The defections do not bode well for Jeffries’ potential speakership bid if Democrats are successful in retaking the House in November.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also commented on the shocking move, saying that when she was in control ‘we didn’t even consider that anybody would do that.’
‘We never had that problem, so I’m disappointed that they did that.’
Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he was blindsided by Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez’s votes
Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Washington state Democrat, walks down the House steps after a vote at the US Capitol
Democratic Congressman Jared Golden of Maine was one of two who buckes his party’s leaders in a vote on Tuesday
Golden shared his reasoning for backing the rule was that it allowed for the debate of another bill that he has authored to benefit Maine lobstermen.
‘I think any member of Congress who introduces a bill for their constituents would be insane to turn around and sink a rule that contains that bill,’ Golden said.
Gluesenkamp Perez posted a less direct response to the action and the following criticism, noting on X, ‘Sunday night my son pulled his first fish out of the Columbia river. What the DC bubble doesn’t get is that working waterfronts require working people,’ before adding a number of pet issues that she is a voice for her constituents on, in an apparent dig at party bosses who think she should work for them.
The punishments that face the two defectors are still up in the air, and could range from loss of committee assignments for both members, or possibly just hit Perez.
Golden is not running for re-election, but Perez still needs to make the argument of being ‘an independent voice for Southwest Washington.’
In total, eight Democrats voted for the GOP resolution to condemn socialism on Tuesday evening. Golden and Perez were joined by Castor and Soto of Florida, Cuellar and Gonzalez of Texas, Davis of North Carolina, and Vasquez of New Mexico in their ‘no’ votes.
Katelyn Bledsoe, spokesperson for the free market grassroots organization Americans For Prosperity, exclusively told the Daily Mail, that ‘the fact that only eight House Democrats could bring themselves to vote for a non-binding resolution that simply condemns socialism should be a flashing red warning sign for what could happen once real legislation is on the line,’ if Democrats regain the House.
Republican Jen Kiggans of Virginia, who is in a tough reelection fight of her own this November shared her own displeasure at all 192 of her Democrat colleagues who refused to ‘condemn and denounce socialism in all its forms and support only American citizens voting in our elections.’
