The House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning socialism on Tuesday evening, with a significant number of Democrats voting against it, including top leadership. The resolution, which also affirmed support for election integrity and called for passage of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, passed by a vote of 220 to 192. All "no" votes came from Democrats.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar were among the Democrats who voted against the resolution. However, the vote would not have advanced without the support of two moderate Democrats, Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, who provided key votes on a procedural measure earlier in the day. This procedural vote, known as a "rule vote," was intended to allow debate on several bills, including the socialism resolution. Without Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez, the rule vote was poised to fail.
All Republicans voted in favor of the resolution condemning socialism and affirming election integrity. Following the procedural vote, Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez joined a group of other Democrats who voted for the resolution. These Democrats included Reps. Don Davis of North Carolina, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Kathy Castor of Florida, and Darren Soto of Florida. Reps. Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania voted "present."
Republicans framed the vote as a test of House Democrats' resolve and an indication of their alignment with socialist policies. Mike Marinella, a spokesperson for the House Republicans' campaign arm, stated that the vote "ripped off the mask" and showed Democrats "rubber stamp their far-left radical policies." Rep. Jeff Crank, who led the resolution, described it as a straightforward condemnation of socialism, including the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a recommitment to the Constitution, and opposition to non-citizens voting.
Democrats, however, largely dismissed the resolution as a symbolic political exercise that does not address pressing issues facing Americans. They also characterized GOP election integrity efforts as voter suppression tactics. Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts criticized the resolution during a hearing, contrasting it with concerns about rising gas and grocery prices.
The procedural vote that enabled the resolution to proceed was a protest by five House Republicans against the leadership's handling of a short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown. Those Republicans were Reps. Pete Sessions of Texas, Chip Roy of Texas, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, and Andy Harris of Maryland. Their objection was not to the socialism resolution itself but to modifications made by the Senate to the continuing resolution, including a delay on a hemp product ban and a provision affecting federal grants.