Knives Out: Dem Meltdown Over Socialism Vote is Glorious, As Pelosi Throws Jeffries Under the Bus

House Democrats spent Tuesday night engaging in a dramatic circular firing squad after two of their own saved Speaker Mike Johnson from an embarrassing floor defeat and cleared the way for a Republican resolution denouncing socialism.

As RedState's Ben Smith reported Tuesday, Reps. Jared Golden (ME-02) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) crossed party lines on a razor-thin procedural rule, offsetting five GOP hardliners and passing it 210-208.

That rule unlocked a package that included a vote to condemn socialism “in all its forms,” naming the Democratic Socialists of America, and the House later adopted the resolution 220-192. Repeating that — 192 Democrats voted against a resolution denouncing socialism.

It's difficult to explain how shocking this move is politically. It is almost unheard of for minority-party members to vote for the majority’s rule — the procedural measure that sets the House floor agenda — which is why Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez’s yes votes have left their party in absolute disarray.

And it's rather obvious how thrown off leadership is as they start pointing fingers at each other.

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he got no heads-up, told reporters they should take it up with Whip Katherine Clark, and called the defections “a significant breach of trust” that “necessitates a serious response.”

Leadership referred Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez to the Committee on Caucus Rules. Axios reports members are already floating stripping their committee assignments to make an example of them.

"The decision by two of our colleagues to blindside the entire House Democratic Caucus and join with the Republican majority to pass a procedural rule on the brink of failing represents a significant breach of trust," Jeffries said, according to Punchbowl News. "It necessitates a serious response, and we have asked the Committee on Caucus Rules to take this up in short order."

🚨BREAKING:

JEFFRIES CRACKING DOWN ON GOLDEN AND MGP:

"The decision by two of our colleagues to blindside the entire House Democratic Caucus and join with the Republican majority to pass a procedural rule on the brink of failing represents a significant breach of trust. It…

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) September 2, 2026

The message is quite clear: break with leadership on a rule vote, even to move a bill for your own district, and you will be punished. Jeffries’ first move was to send reporters to Clark.

Next up for chastising? Jeffries himself.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi piled on by contrasting the mess with her own tenure, saying a member voting for the other party’s rule was something “we didn’t even consider” when she held the gavel and that she is “disappointed.”

In short, 'This would never have happened under my watch.'

For those keeping score at home, these two moderates (including Jared Golden, who is retiring) just threw the whole caucus under the bus, Jeffries then threw the whip under the bus, and Pelosi threw Jeffries under the bus. pic.twitter.com/nUnP5Nmwhb

— Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) September 1, 2026

"Voting for the rule is something that I, as Speaker, we never — we didn't even consider that anybody would do that," she told reporters. "We never had that problem. So I'm disappointed that they did that."

Pelosi was criticizing Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez, but Jeffries definitely caught some strays here.

The rogue pair, it's noteworthy, did not come out and make their denouncement of socialism the main point. Why would they when their entire party is currently petrified of the radicals taking over? 

Golden, who is retiring, said he backed the rule because it carried his bill to protect Maine lobstermen; Gluesenkamp Perez, who represents a swing district, made the same working-waterfront case.

Moderates representing their districts now result in leadership promising punishment. And the old guard speakership in Pelosi is reminding everyone she never would have lost control of a rule vote the way the possible next Speaker just did.

The socialist insurgency is taking over, and Democrats have no idea how to deal with it.

Editor's Note: Do you enjoy RedState's conservative reporting exposing the radical left and woke media? Support our work so we can keep bringing you the truth.

Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.