It’s hardly a political secret that Republicans are a bit fractured at the moment.
The Republicans are having inner squabbles over all manner of issues: The economy, the unveiling of the Epstein files, how best to distribute international aid, and whatever it is that Marjorie Taylor Greene is doing these days.
This bickering undoubtedly played at least a small negative role in the special elections earlier this month, which saw Democrats overperform en route to securing New York City’s mayoral office and the Virginia gubernatorial race.
Given that winning cures all ills, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that pundits and Democrats left those special elections feeling the party had turned around a ship that had largely been sinking since former Vice President Kamala Harris failed in her presidential bid.
What may be a bit more surprising is that these “good vibes” on the Democratic side lasted for about two weeks.
According to Axios, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez — a Democrat from Washington state — has a major issue with Rep. Chuy Garcia of Illinois, and it’s threatening to derail some sorely needed momentum for the Democrats.
Last week, Gluesenkamp Perez introduced a resolution of disapproval for Garcia, sparking all sorts of sideways glances from her Democratic peers.
Gluesenkamp Perez accused Garcia of “election subversion” for the manner and timing in which he withdrew his reelection bid.
Garcia is alleged to have intentionally waited until the very last minute before withdrawing, handing his chief of staff, Patty Garcia, the lone Democratic nomination in a Democrat-heavy district.
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“Representative García’s actions are beneath the dignity of his office and incompatible with the spirit of the United States Constitution,” the disapproval resolution said.
Garcia has argued that his actions were all entirely lawful, and that his last-minute withdrawal was a legitimate consequence of a health scare.
Gluesenkamp Perez obviously didn’t buy that line of reasoning — and her fellow Democrats are seething about it all.
“This is really just unfortunate that we’re dealing with this,” Rep. Joe Morelle of New York told Axios.
He added, “We have all these other issues in the world we have to deal with… this is really local politics and I don’t know that it has a place here.”
“She should’ve just picked up the phone and called him,” Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin said.
Pocan noted that Garcia’s health issue claims were legitimate.
The Congressional Progressive Caucus has taken particular umbrage with Gluesenkamp Perez’s resolution. The group is quietly discussing a retaliatory measure against Gluesenkamp Perez by alleging that she lied about what PAC money she had received.
Despite furious pushback from Democrats, the motion passed on Monday, 211-206. The resolution itself then passed on Tuesday, per KTSM-TV, rebuking Garcia for quietly setting up his chief of staff with his withdrawal.
Twenty-three Democrats — not an insignificant number — voted alongside Republicans to pass the disapproval resolution 236-183-4.
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