Democrats vow repercussions for moderates who helped GOP advance bills

Two moderate House Democrats, Representatives Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, broke with their party on Tuesday to help Republicans advance a procedural rule, a move that has sparked fury within the Democratic caucus and prompted leadership to seek repercussions. The vote, which occurred on September 2, 2026, allowed a package of GOP-backed bills to proceed to the House floor, including a resolution condemning socialism. The procedural rule passed in a 210-208 vote. Five conservative Republicans, including Representatives Andy Harris, Clay Higgins, Ralph Norman, Chip Roy, and Pete Sessions, voted against it in protest over a government spending bill. Without the support of Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez, the rule would have failed. The two Democrats provided the necessary margin to prevent a tie, which under House rules is equivalent to a measure failing outright. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, along with Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, issued a joint statement calling the votes "a significant breach of trust.