House Democrats split as Jeffries and leaders vote against anti-socialism resolution
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The House passed a resolution condemning socialism 220-192, with most Democrats opposing it. A handful of Democrats broke ranks to help Republicans overcome a procedural hurdle, allowing the vote to proceed.
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a resolution denouncing socialism on Tuesday, with the measure passing 220-192. All eight dissenting votes came from Democrats, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar.
The resolution also reaffirmed support for election integrity and urged passage of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a bill that most Democrats have opposed. The vote was possible only after two Democrats—Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington—joined Republicans in a procedural “rule” vote that cleared the way for debate on several GOP-backed measures.
"Socialism has failed everywhere it’s been tried without exception. It’s a dangerous ideology that creates misery for the very people it claims to help," said Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger.
"The resolution is pretty easy, right? It condemns socialism in all its forms, including the DSA, recommits ourselves to the Constitution of the United States… a third point is that we don’t want non-citizens voting in elections," Rep. Jeff Crank explained.
Democratic members who supported the procedural vote included Don Davis, Vicente Gonzalez, Henry Cuellar, Kathy Castor, Gabe Vasquez and Darren Soto; Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan voted present. Jeffries told reporters he had not been notified in advance of the Democrats’ assistance to the GOP.
Five Republicans—Pete Sessions, Chip Roy, Ralph Norman, Clay Higgins and Andy Harris—voted against the rule, protesting how House leadership handled a continuing resolution aimed at averting a government shutdown. Their objection centered on amendments added by the Senate, not on the anti-socialism measure itself.
The episode highlights ongoing tensions within the Democratic caucus over the influence of candidates linked to the Democratic Socialists of America and underscores the partisan dynamics surrounding election-related legislation ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.