The House of Representatives passed a resolution Friday formally condemning the “horrors of socialism,” a vote that successfully united Republicans but laid bare a widening ideological fracture inside the Democratic Party.
The measure, introduced by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), passed 285 to 98. While the GOP voted in lockstep, the Democratic caucus split. More than 80 Democrats broke with the party’s progressive wing to support the resolution, while nearly 100 voted against it.
Salazar, the daughter of Cuban exiles, framed the resolution as a necessary stand against a dangerous system.
“There is nothing ‘controversial’ about denouncing a poisonous, failed, and deadly ideology,” Salazar wrote on X. “Socialism will never take root in the United States. Not while I’m here to stop it.”
For many Democrats, the vote presented a political trap. Those running for statewide office in the upcoming midterms—including Reps. Chris Pappas (NH), Haley Stevens (MI), and Angie Craig (MN)—voted “yes,” distancing themselves from the “socialist” label that remains toxic in swing districts.
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However, the party’s left flank refused to play along. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) opposed the measure, as did nearly 100 of her colleagues. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) argued the resolution was a waste of legislative time that should have been spent on lowering costs for families. Two Democrats, Reps. Deborah Ross and Janelle Bynum, voted “present.”
The vote created an awkward moment for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Though he ultimately supported the resolution, he appeared to dodge questions about his personal stance earlier in the week. Jeffries, who is facing a primary challenge from a socialist candidate, avoided explicitly condemning socialism when pressed by reporters. Instead, he repeated that Democrats believe in “a strong floor and no ceiling” for American success.
The friction on Capitol Hill reflects changing attitudes nationwide. A Gallup poll released in September found that 66% of Democrats view socialism positively, compared to just 44% who view capitalism favorably. That shift has already translated into local victories, with open socialists winning mayoral races in Seattle and New York City this November.
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, for instance, campaigned on a $30 minimum wage and free bus systems, signaling that while Washington Democrats may try to distance themselves from the label, the ideology is gaining ground at the local level.
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