Back-to-back blunders on the House floor are raising questions over whether Democrats are ready for primetime as they're poised to take over the majority — and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., makes a bid for the top role.
asserted
Jeffries → raise → role
Democrats are projected to win 255 House seats, with 12 races yet to be called, and Jeffries is running to be Speaker of the House following the sweeping victories last week that saw the party make gains even in traditional Republican strongholds like Texas, Mississippi, Kansas and South Carolina.
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party → project → Texas
But some have questioned whether the recent snafus signal that Jeffries and other leaders may not be ready to be in command of the House majority.
"
uncertain
Jeffries → question → majority
I may have to rethink my support of Hakeem Jeffries after the Hegseth impeachment vote," Fred Trump III, a Democrat, author and nephew of President Donald Trump, posted on X.
uncertain
III → have → X.
"Eleven Democrats do not show up?
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Democrats → show → ?
All Republicans vote it down."
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Republicans → vote → it
"Pete Hegseth is laughing at you and is stronger today.
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Hegseth → laugh → you
Shame," he continued.
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he → continue → ?
House GOP leaders' successfully blocked Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., from leading the charge to impeach Secretary of War Pete Hegseth earlier this week.
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leaders → block → Hegseth
Had just seven of them been present, the vote to kill Massie's impeachment resolution would have failed, triggering debate and a vote on impeaching the Cabinet secretary likely the next day.
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vote → kill → secretary
"Everyone knew that attendance was key tonight but somehow Democratic leaders failed to deliver and handed Republicans a win," Demand Progress Executive Director Sean Vitka said in a statement.
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Vitka → know → statement
Progressive journalist David Schuster wrote on X, "Sure, house Dems will have 259 seats in January instead of current 213.
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Dems → write → 213
And Hegseth impeachment can be reintroduced.
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impeachment → reintroduce → ?
But Hakeem having 11 Dem absences today on Hegseth (thus losing vote) reveals a Hakeem leadership problem.
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having → have → problem
An emotional Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., said in a video posted to X that she and other Democrats were stuck in traffic when they missed the vote.
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they → say → vote
Various reports, however, said they were at a fundraiser less than two miles from the U.S. Capitol.
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they → say → Capitol
Others blamed medical procedures and family emergencies.
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Others → blame → procedures
The day after, a bill Democratic leadership was actively urging lawmakers to vote against passed by unanimous voice vote — simply because no Democrats called for a roll call instead.
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Democrats → urge → call
Democrats accused Republicans of parliamentary tricks, including a post on the X account belonging to the House Veterans Affairs Committee minority, "Republicans pushed it through that way intentionally so their members wouldn’t have to go on the record supporting cuts to veterans’ benefits.
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members → accuse → benefits
"
But the majority of Democrats do not believe it is an early blight on Jeffries' potential speakership.
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it → believe → speakership
"I think there's frustration in terms of whipping votes.
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I → think → votes
And it does seem like there's maybe some tension somewhere," Democratic strategist Mike Nellis told Fox News Digital.
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Nellis → seem → Digital
"I think it'll be incumbent on the incoming speaker to make sure that everybody feels like they're on the same page...
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they → think → page
beyond that, if you're asking me if it makes a difference in a leadership flight, I mean, nobody's running against Hakeem.
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nobody → ask → Hakeem
I haven't heard of anybody seriously thinking about doing that, so I don't know that it'll change anything."
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it → hear → anything
He said House Democrats largely "have faith" in Jeffries and House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., who is poised to be the next House Majority Leader.
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who → say → Jeffries
Democrat Dan Turrentine, co-host of "The Huddle," told Fox News Digital "a few Democrats unintentionally missed one vote.
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Democrats → tell → vote
Unfortunately this happens periodically in both chambers, for both parties.
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this → happen → parties
It does not speak to Jeffries' leadership.
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It → speak → leadership
"
And other House Democrats, when asked, directed frustration at their colleagues instead.
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Democrats → ask → colleagues
"My message is always to members that we need to be here and be on time," Clark told reporters Wednesday.
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Clark → need → reporters
"But there was a clear message from the Republican Party as well that they are unwilling, even after this election, to stand up against Hegseth in this war."
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they → be → war
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., said, "It's unfortunate, but that's not on leadership."
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that → say → leadership
Fox News Digital reached out to Jeffries' political team for comment.
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Digital → reach → comment
The Aporia
