Democrats huddle to weigh changes to party rules following surprise defections

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Trending on The Hill - September 2, 2026

Trending on The Hill - September 2, 2026

House Democrats huddled Wednesday morning to weigh potential changes to internal party rules after a pair of centrist lawmakers crossed the aisle a day earlier to help Republican leaders advance a series of GOP messaging bills that were on track to fail.

The defections by Democratic Reps. Jared Golden (Maine) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.) caught the Democrats off guard and infuriated both party leaders and many members of the caucus.  

The episode prompted a special meeting of the Democrats’ Committee on Caucus Rules, which has been charged by leadership with examining possible changes to the party’s internal guidelines in an effort to ensure that Democrats stick together on future rules votes.

Leaving the meeting, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said no decisions have been made, but all options remain on the table. 

“It’ll be an ongoing discussion through the vehicles that have been set up, including meetings related to the Committee on Caucus Rules, as well as........

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