Democratic frustrations toward Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) and Jared Golden (D-ME) lingered on Wednesday after the pair sided with Republicans to force a vote on condemning socialism and the Democratic Socialists of America.
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee, turned his back to Gluesenkamp Perez as she testified before his panel about proposed changes to congressional sexual harassment policy if Democrats retake the majority.
“I really wasn’t interested and paying attention,” McGovern told the Washington Examiner. “To be honest with you, I didn’t even get the courtesy of even a heads up that she was going to vote [for] the rule.”
Gluesenkamp Perez and Golden were the only Democrats to vote in favor of bringing to the House floor a package of bills that included a GOP-led resolution denouncing socialism and the DSA. The defections mark a rare occasion of Democratic members breaking with leadership on a procedural measure, typically seen as tests of party unity.
Adding insult to injury, the defections came even as GOP hard-liners were ready to paralyze the House over an unrelated dispute with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on funding the government.
The defections roiled the Democratic Caucus, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) admitting he was “blindsided” by the decision. As of Wednesday afternoon, Democratic leadership has yet to discipline the centrist pair, although an effort to strip them of their committee assignments is being weighed.
Photo that captures the vibes of today
MGP testified Wednesday before Rules Committee
The Dem Rules ranking member Jim McGovern turned his back on her during her testimony pic.twitter.com/wIx6XEre12
— Ally Mutnick (@allymutnick) September 2, 2026
McGovern said the decision by Gluesenkamp Perez and Golden to buck Jeffries and side with Republicans was a distraction from the Democrats’ midterm election messaging.
“Instead of speaking about affordability this week, we had to speak about socialism because the rule brought up all these guttural bills, so yeah, I’m a little pissed,” he said.
McGovern added that if Democrats stuck together, they “could have changed the agenda this week” in the House.
The Massachusetts Democrat emphasized the need for his party to be united, particularly while it’s in the minority and lacks the power to move legislation.
“Ninety percent of the amendments that my fellow Democrats offer are blocked, and all the bills that were brought up are all closed. I mean, just that alone should give members pause and say, ‘You know, I’m not going to vote for this.’ Democrats get screwed by the Republicans all the time in the [rules committee],” said McGovern.
TOP JEFFRIES ALLY TELLS DEMOCRATS TO MOVE PAST DEFECTION DRAMA AND FOCUS ON NOVEMBER
That said, he stopped short of suggesting a specific punishment for Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez.
“I want people to have each other’s back in the Democratic Caucus,” he added.