The House of Representatives approved a resolution condemning the “horrors of socialism” Friday morning in a vote that sharply divided Democratic lawmakers.
Lawmakers voted 285 to 98 in favor of the measure offered by Republican Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, the daughter of Cuban exiles, that denounced socialism in “all its forms” and socialist policies in the United States. More than seven dozen Democrats backed the resolution, including House Democratic leadership.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who is viewed as a leader of the Democratic Party’s left flank, opposed the measure condemning socialism.
Two Democratic lawmakers, North Carolina Rep. Deborah Ross and Oregon Rep. Janelle Bynum, voted “present” on the resolution.
All voting Republicans supported Salazar’s resolution. Twenty Republicans did not vote.
The vote comes as support for socialism is on the rise across the country with proudly socialist candidates winning mayoral races in New York City and Seattle this November.
New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has proposed raising the minimum wage to $30, launching government-run grocery stores and making the city’s bus system free to ride. Mamdani has sidestepped questions about how he intends to pay for the free buses after Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul balked at raising taxes.
An increasingly larger portion of Democrats prefer socialism to capitalism, according to a Gallup poll released in September. The poll found that 66% of Democrats hold a positive view of socialism compared to 44% who view capitalism favorably.
Republicans slammed their Democratic counterparts for opposing the resolution.
“There is nothing ‘controversial’ about denouncing a poisonous, failed, and deadly ideology,” Salazar, whose parents fledCuba when communist Fidel Castro took power, wrote on X. “Socialism will never take root in the United States. Not while I’m here to stop it.”
Democrats, led by California Rep. Maxine Waters, argued the resolution was a waste of time and said the lower chamber should be focused on lowering costs for Americans.
Democrats’ diverging positions on the resolution showed that socialism remains politically toxic outside liberal enclaves.
House Democrats who are running for Senate in next year’s midterm elections notably supported the resolution condemning socialist policies.
Democratic Reps. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, Haley Stevens of Michigan and Angie Craig of Minnesota voted “yes.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who supported the resolution, dodged questions probing his views on socialism Thursday.
“I plan on voting in the manner consistent with how I have voted in the past,” Jeffries, who is facing a socialist primary challenger, said while exiting a press conference without specifying his position.
When pressed whether he condemns socialism, Jeffries repeated the same statement.
“Listen, I believe as Democrats, that we believe in a country where we have a strong floor and no ceiling,” Jeffries added. “That’s what we believe in as Democrats, that when you work hard and play by the rules in the United States of America, there should be no ceiling to the success that you can achieve for yourself and for your family and for your community.
“Strong floor, no ceiling,” Jeffries said again.
“At the same period of time, we believe in a strong floor,” the minority leader repeated for the third time.
The minority later did not say whether he condemned socialism.
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