RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Eight House Democrats joined Republicans on Tuesday in voting for a resolution condemning socialism, helping the measure pass the House in a 220-192 vote.
The Politics & Poll Tracker account on X reported that the Democrats who voted in favor were Kathy Castor of Florida, Vicente Gonzalez and Henry Cuellar of Texas, Darren Soto of Florida, Jared Golden of Maine, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, Don Davis of North Carolina and Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico.
Two Democrats, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania and Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, voted "present" rather than for or against the measure. One hundred ninety-two Democrats voted against the resolution.
Representative Ro Khanna of California said in a post on X that he opposed the resolution because he believes democratic socialists are fighting for policies such as taxing billionaires, Medicare for All and avoiding foreign wars. He argued that Franklin D. Roosevelt built the New Deal coalition by uniting labor, farmers, business leaders, public intellectuals, Southern Democrats and even people who identified as "socialists" around the idea that concentrated wealth had failed the country. Khanna said Democrats need a similar coalition today, adding: "We need a New Deal Coalition for our time."
The House Rules Committee first approved H.Res. 1490, a measure introduced by Republican Representative Jeff Crank of Colorado, after a hearing that featured debate over the resolution's language and purpose. Republicans argued that the resolution was necessary to condemn socialist ideology and distinguish mainstream lawmakers from political movements that advocate sweeping changes to the American economic and political system.
Democrats on the committee on Monday, meanwhile, criticized the effort as a political messaging exercise as none voted in favor of advancing the measure.
The resolution comes amid renewed Republican efforts to highlight the growing visibility of self-described democratic socialists and members affiliated with or supported by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Republicans have pointed to recent electoral victories by socialist candidates and have argued that voters deserve to know where elected officials stand on socialism as a governing philosophy.
The measure includes a series of findings criticizing socialist governments around the world and arguing that socialism has historically been associated with economic decline, authoritarianism and political repression. It also references positions taken by the DSA and contends that socialism is incompatible with the values embodied in the U.S. Constitution.
The committee vote was one of the first opportunities for Democrats to publicly take a position on the resolution before it reaches the House floor. Republicans have sought to frame support for the measure as a rejection of socialism, while opponents argue the resolution is designed primarily to create campaign talking points rather than address pressing policy concerns.
Some Democrats have long criticized socialism and democratic socialism, while others have distinguished democratic socialism from the authoritarian systems cited in Republican resolutions. The differing views have made votes on the issue politically sensitive, particularly in swing districts where Republicans frequently attack Democratic candidates as socialists.
The measure is expected to be part of a broader political fight heading into this year's midterm election season, with Republicans portraying the resolution as a straightforward condemnation of socialism and Democrats arguing that the party's focus remains on issues such as healthcare, housing affordability, wages and economic opportunity.
The two Democrats who voted "present" were:
In 2023, during consideration of a Republican resolution denouncing socialism, Massachusetts Democrat Jim McGovern called the proposal an "embarrassment" and questioned what Republicans meant by "socialism," asking whether they were referring to programs such as Medicare and Social Security.
He also delivered floor remarks opposing the 2023 anti-socialism resolution, describing it as a "stupid resolution that was written poorly."
More recently, McGovern pushed Republicans in the Rules Committee to define socialism, suggesting that the term was being used as a political attack against Democrats rather than as a serious policy discussion.
During a House Rules Committee hearing on a Republican anti-socialism measure, Scanlon sharply criticized the legislation and referred to it as "just another bull**** bill." She also voted against a 2025 House resolution denouncing the "horrors of socialism."
The issue has increasingly become part of broader partisan debates over the Democratic Party's future. Republicans have repeatedly argued that the rise of democratic socialist candidates demonstrates an ideological shift within the party, while Democratic leaders have generally rejected GOP efforts to characterize the party as socialist.
The committee action could also provide Republicans with material for campaign advertising and messaging. GOP lawmakers have openly said they want Democrats to take public positions on socialism and the DSA as the organization gains greater attention following recent electoral successes.
DSA's highest-profile success came in New York City, where then-state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic mayoral primary, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo in a result that reverberated across national politics. Mamdani, a DSA member who campaigned on policies including rent freezes, free buses and expanded social programs, became one of the most prominent democratic socialist elected officials in the country following his victory in the general election last November. Republicans have repeated...
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