Rep.-elect Zach Dembo (D-Ky.), a former Navy Judge Advocate General who flipped a Republican-held seat in Kentucky, stated that it is "premature" to discuss the impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following the House's failure to advance the resolution. Dembo, who noted he was elected only a week ago and does not yet have an office in the Capitol, said he did not come to Congress with the goal of immediately pursuing such high-profile accountability measures.
The comments come after the House voted 211-204 on Nov. 10 to refer the impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee, a move that effectively killed the effort. The resolution, led by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, included eight articles citing violations of the War Powers Resolution and other concerns regarding the war with Iran and operations in Venezuela.
What the Left Is Saying
While Democratic leadership did not whip votes for the impeachment resolution, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated after the vote that the issue is not closed. "This is not the end of it. It's just the beginning," Jeffries said. Rep. Pete Aguilar, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, noted that members were allowed to decide for their districts, a strategy that resulted in 11 Democrats not voting, which helped the resolution fail.
Rep.-elect Dembo’s stance represents a more cautious approach from newly elected Democrats who may prioritize other legislative goals or institutional norms over immediate confrontation with the administration. His emphasis on his newness to the institution contrasts with the more aggressive posture taken by some senior Democrats who supported the impeachment articles.
What the Right Is Saying
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) characterized the impeachment push as "a political gambit for attention" and called Rep. Massie "a disgruntled congressman." Johnson stated prior to the vote that Republicans would "defeat" the resolution "one way or the other," emphasizing party unity against what he described as a shameful effort.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), the lone Republican to vote against referring the resolution to committee, expressed disappointment with his colleagues. "My diagnosis of Congress is these people know what to do," Massie said. "They just can't bring themselves to do it, even when it would benefit them politically." Massie compared the situation to the Titanic, stating, "They know it's a sinking ship, but they committed to stay on board."
What the Numbers Show
The House vote to refer the impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee passed 211-204. The vote was effectively blocked by 18 lawmakers who did not vote: 11 Democrats and 7 Republicans. The missing Democrats included Reps. Julia Brownley, Lou Correa, Laura Gillen, Steven Horsford, Jonathan Jackson, Nancy Pelosi, Brittany Pettersen, Melanie Stansbury, Haley Stevens, Marilyn Strickland, and Frederica Wilson.
Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) stated she was "blocked from entering the Capitol to vote due a traffic incident and a police escort of a bus during the vote" and filed a report of her intended "NO" vote to the Congressional Record. Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.) stated he was remaining in his district due to a medical procedure. The seven non-voting Republicans were Reps. Monica De La Cruz, Neal Dunn, Russell Fry, Julia Letlow, Tom Tiffany, Derrick Van Orden, and Rudy Yakym.
The Bottom Line
The failed impeachment vote underscores the difficulty of building coalitions across party lines for executive branch accountability, even in a House with a narrow Democratic majority. The absence of 11 Democrats from the vote was critical to the outcome, suggesting that without unified party support, such efforts are vulnerable to procedural defeats. With the 119th Congress set to convene in January, the question of Hegseth's tenure remains open, as Democratic leadership has signaled continued interest in the matter, while newly elected members like Dembo advocate for a slower institutional ramp-up.
Developing: Rep. Massie indicated he plans to force a vote on a war powers resolution, which may test the resolve of both parties in the coming weeks.