Two moderate House Democrats broke with their party Tuesday, helping Republicans pass a tightly contested procedural vote during Congress’s final stretch before the November midterm elections.
Reps. Jared Golden (D-ME) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) sided with Republicans on the rule governing consideration of several measures, including a major Russia sanctions bill. The rule passed 214–211, with Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez providing the sole Democratic votes in favor.
Because two Republicans opposed the rule, the Democratic defections proved decisive in allowing the legislative package to move forward. Procedural rule votes are typically strict tests of party discipline, with minority party members expected to vote against rules drafted by the majority.
Golden’s office stated that his decision was driven by his support for legislation targeting Russia over its war in Ukraine. A spokesman noted that Golden did not want the sanctions bill to stall on a procedural hurdle after receiving overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate.
Gluesenkamp Perez offered a similar rationale, pointing to the sizable Ukrainian-American constituency she represents in southwestern Washington.
“I’ll always stand with my community’s values,” she said, adding that her vote moved Congress closer to enacting additional sanctions on Russia. She noted that she plans to support the underlying legislation when it comes to a final House floor vote.
The sanctions measure previously passed the Senate in an 86–11 vote. It expands economic pressure on Russia, targets sanctions-evasion networks and Iran, and grants President Donald Trump additional tariff authority against nations purchasing Russian energy.
While many House Democrats favor tougher sanctions on Moscow, some have voiced concern over provisions giving Trump broader discretion over tariffs and waiver authority. Those policy disagreements transformed what might otherwise have been a routine foreign-policy measure into a contentious procedural battle.
The vote reignited friction between party leadership and both Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez. After both lawmakers broke caucus ranks on a separate rule vote earlier this month, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and senior Democratic leaders issued an unusually sharp rebuke.
At the time, Democratic leaders called the move a “significant breach of trust” and warned that the caucus’s rules committee would review the matter. However, no public discipline had been announced before Tuesday’s second defection.
Both Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez have cultivated reputations as independent moderates willing to break with Democratic leadership on select votes.
Golden is retiring from Congress at the end of his current term, minimizing the personal political consequences of another intraparty dispute. Meanwhile, Gluesenkamp Perez is seeking reelection in a Washington district that supported Trump in 2024, making her independent voting record a centerpiece of her campaign.
Tuesday’s vote does not directly enact the Russia sanctions legislation. Instead, the procedural rule simply establishes the parameters allowing the House to debate and vote on the bill along with several other measures. A final, separate vote on the sanctions legislation is expected before lawmakers leave Washington ahead of the midterms.
For Jeffries, the episode highlighted ongoing difficulty in maintaining caucus discipline among key moderates on procedural votes, Fox News reported. For Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez, the rationale was straightforward: advancing sanctions against Russia took priority over party unity.