Moderate House Democrats Vote with Republicans on Procedural Hurdle

<p>On September 12, 2026, Representatives Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) voted with Republicans on a procedural hurdle known as a "rule vote," allowing the House to consider additional bills. This vote is significant as it is unusual for members of the minority party to assist the majority party in passing procedural rules.</p><p>Golden's spokesman stated that the congressman supported the vote to advance a Russia sanctions bill that would have been jeopardized had the rule vote failed. The spokesman noted, "Congressman Golden has been a consistent supporter of America’s allies in Ukraine. He didn’t want to see the Russia sanctions bill die in a rule vote after passing with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate."</p><p>Gluesenkamp Perez expressed her support for the Ukrainian community in her district, stating on social media, "I’m proud to represent one of the largest Ukrainian communities in America—people who have lost fathers, mothers, sons and daughters in the fight to defeat fascism. I’ll always stand with my community’s values, and am grateful for the 86 senators who voted to send this bill to the House. My vote today gets us one step closer to enacting these sanctions into law and I look forward to voting tomorrow to cut off the flow of Russian oil money fueling this war."</p><p>This is not the first instance of Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez voting against their party on procedural matters, which has raised concerns about House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' ability to manage his caucus, especially if Democrats regain control of the House in the upcoming elections.</p><p>In response to the votes, Jeffries and his deputies issued a statement describing the actions of Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez as a "significant breach of trust" and indicated that it warranted a serious response from the Committee on Caucus Rules. However, it remains unclear if any disciplinary measures were taken.</p><p>Golden is set to retire from Congress at the end of the year, while Gluesenkamp Perez is facing a challenging election against a Republican opponent in her district, which supported Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.</p>