Democratic defectors rescue Republicans — again

A pair of centrist Democrats crossed the aisle on Tuesday to help GOP leaders advance a number of bills, marking the second time this month that Democratic leaders have failed to unite their caucus against the Republicans’ messaging agenda.

The defections frustrated their fellow Democrats and are sure to raise new questions about how leaders are managing their caucus, especially heading into elections where they’re hoping to flip control of the House.

Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) joined Republicans to pass a procedural rule that allows a host of proposals — including a Russian sanctions bill opposed by Democrats — to come to the floor for final votes.

The Democrats’ help was crucial in putting the rule over the top, because Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and his leadership team were wrestling with their own internal revolt in the form of conservatives who were threatening to oppose the measure.

In the end, Johnson convinced several of those GOP holdouts to back the rule, which passed 214 to 211. Without Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez, it would have failed 212 to 213.

The defections are sure to outrage Democrats — leaders and rank-and-file members alike — who were up in arms earlier in the month after the same two Democrats helped Johnson pass a similar rule advancing a separate legislative package, which consisted mostly of GOP messaging bills designed to help Republicans keep the House in November’s midterms.

On Tuesday evening, some of those internal frustrations were already trickling out.

“It’s unfortunate, it doesn’t advance the work of the American people,” Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.) said after the vote. “That’s two individuals that are out of step with the American people that are within our party, and so hopefully there’s a wave of new people that are coming in that can overwhelm that margin.”

After the first round of defections, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) had called a special meeting of the Democrats’ internal rules committee to discuss potential changes — and potential disciplinary measures — designed to keep the party united on procedural votes. Some Democrats wanted to strip Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez of their committee seats.

That process fizzled with no disciplinary measures taken. (Jeffries huddled with Gluesenkamp Perez, who’s in a tough reelection contest, and said he was satisfied with the discussion. Golden is retiring).

But the centrists’ decision to defect once again is sure to renew the conversation about how to keep lone-wolf members closer in line, especially on procedural votes. And it’s likely to raise questions about whether Democratic leaders didn’t draw a harder line the first time around.

“You have to tell people. And that’s the big deal,” Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.) said after the first episode. “It’s not how you vote, it’s that you tell people and be up front.”