List of Democrats voting to condemn socialism in House ahead of midterms

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.

List of Democrats Who Voted to Condemn Socialism

The eight Democrats who voted with Republicans on the resolution were:

• Kathy Castor (Florida)
• Vicente Gonzalez (Texas)
• Henry Cuellar (Texas)
• Darren Soto (Florida)
• Jared Golden (Maine)
• Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Washington)
• Don Davis (North Carolina)
• Gabe Vasquez (New Mexico)

The two Democrats who voted “present” were:

• Chrissy Houlahan (Pennsylvania)
• Maggie Goodlander (New Hampshire)

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 repeatedly pointed to his win as evidence that socialist candidates are gaining influence within Democratic politics.

The DSA and allied progressive organizations have also celebrated a series of victories at the state and local levels in recent election cycles, particularly in large urban areas where left-wing candidates have won races for city councils, state legislatures and other offices. While democratic socialists remain a small minority in the Democratic Party, supporters argue those victories show growing public interest in policies focused on housing affordability, labor rights and expanding government services.

Angie Nixon won her primary for Senate in Florida, and Milat Kiros defeated longtime Representative Diana DeGette in the Democratic primary in Colorado. Darializa Avila Chevalier also defeated Representative Adriano Espaillat in a Democratic congressional primary in New York.

What Would H.Res. 1490 Do?

H.Res. 1490 is a House resolution titled “Providing for the condemnation and denouncement of socialism in all its forms, and for other purposes.”

The measure does not create a new federal program, impose penalties or change existing law. Instead, it serves as a formal statement expressing the sense of the House regarding socialism and related political ideologies.

The resolution includes findings asserting that socialist systems have historically led to economic hardship, political repression and mass human suffering. It cites examples from around the world and argues that socialist ideology has repeatedly resulted in failed governments and restrictions on personal freedoms.

The measure also focuses heavily on the DSA. It references positions associated with the organization and argues that socialism is incompatible with the principles of constitutional government in the United States.

Under the resolution, the House would formally condemn and denounce socialism in all its forms. The measure further states that the House rejects efforts to replace existing American institutions with socialist alternatives and reaffirms support for constitutional government, individual liberty, private property rights and free-market principles.

Supporters say the measure provides a clear statement against an ideology they believe has failed everywhere it has been implemented. They contend that public officials should be willing to state clearly whether they support or oppose socialism.

Critics argue that the resolution is largely symbolic and designed to generate political headlines. They say it oversimplifies complex ideological debates and is aimed more at partisan messaging than substantive policymaking.

Nevertheless, the committee vote ensured that lawmakers were forced to go on record on an issue Republicans believe will remain prominent heading into future elections. Whether the final House vote proves bipartisan or divides largely along party lines, the debate over socialism is likely to remain a recurring feature of the nation’s political discourse.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jenni Fink, Dave Siminoff and Anna Commander