Nearly Two Dozen Democrats Defect, Vote To Rebuke Fellow Dem For ‘Election Subversion’

The House of Representatives voted to formally rebuke Democratic Illinois Rep. Chuy García for effectively choosing his successor in a retirement scheme that critics have labeled a coronation.

A group of 23 Democrats, including the resolution’s sponsor Washington Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, joined nearly all voting Republicans in denouncing García for “undermining the process of a free and fair election” with the timing of his retirement announcement. House Democratic leadership failed to prevent a mass exodus of Democrats from supporting the symbolic resolution calling out anti-democratic behavior in their caucus.

Four House Democrats who are running for Senate during next year’s midterm elections — Reps. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, Haley Stevens of Michigan, Angie Craig of Minnesota and Seth Moulton of Massachusetts — backed the measure.

Ohio Rep. Warren Davidson was the lone Republican to vote “present.” Democratic Reps. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Marcy Kaptur of Ohio and Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia joined Davidson in voting “present.”

“Congressman Chuy García has been a progressive champion and voice for the voiceless in his community for decades,” House Democratic leadership said in a joint statement Tuesday in an attempt to head off defections from their own caucus. “We unequivocally oppose this misguided resolution.”

However, a majority of lawmakers appeared to have been persuaded by Gluesenkamp Perez’s argument that García’s retirement gambit constituted “election subversion.”

García, 69, announced his decision to not seek reelection after the filing deadline to run for his seat had passed, leaving his chief of staff, who entered the race hours before the cutoff date, the Democratic Party’s automatic nominee.

Garcí1 has denied effectively hand-picking his successor, but he