Democrat rebels defy Jeffries to hand GOP critical win just before midterms
House Democrats Jared Golden and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez Vote with Republicans on Russia‑Sanctions Rule, Defying Minority Leader
In a rare break of party lines, Democratic Representatives Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington joined Republicans in passing a House rule vote that would allow lawmakers to advance a package of bills, including a new U.S. sanctions package on Russia. The vote, taken on Tuesday evening, came in direct opposition to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who has been working to keep his caucus unified as the November midterms approach.
The procedural rule in question was a “rule vote,” a mechanism used by the House to set the floor agenda for the week. By approving the rule, members cleared the way for the upcoming Russia‑sanctions bill—a measure that had already passed the Senate by a wide bipartisan margin. Golden’s spokesperson said the congressman’s support was driven by a desire to keep the sanctions package from being shelved: “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.”
Gluesenkamp Perez echoed the sentiment on the social‑media platform X, stating: “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.”
The decision to cross party lines is not unprecedented for the two moderates; they had previously joined Republicans on a similar rule vote weeks earlier. However, the most recent defiance has sparked a sharp reaction from House leadership. Jeffries and his top deputies issued a statement labeling the move as a “breach of trust” that “necessitates a serious response.” They called on the Committee on Caucus Rules to investigate the conduct, though no formal disciplinary action has yet been announced.
The vote’s timing and significance are amplified by the looming midterm elections. Golden is set to retire from Congress at the end of the year, while Gluesenkamp Perez faces a tough campaign against a Republican challenger in a district that voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race. Analysts say the incident could test Jeffries’s ability to maintain cohesion in a caucus that may regain the House majority in November, as he is widely expected to become the next Speaker of the House.
The Russia‑sanctions bill, which aims to tighten economic pressure on Moscow in response to the conflict in Ukraine, had already secured the support of 86 senators. With the rule vote now cleared, the bill is poised to move forward in the House, bringing a key foreign‑policy initiative closer to law.
For the House’s Democratic caucus, the episode underscores the growing tension between moderate members willing to break ranks on procedural matters and leadership seeking a united front. Whether Jeffries will succeed in rallying his colleagues as the election cycle intensifies remains to be seen.