The five-paragraph resolution ‘disapproves of the behavior’ of Rep. Chuy Garcia in the run-up to the filing deadline for 2026 Democratic candidates in the deep blue, Chicago-area district

Jerry Cornfield
Washington State Standard

Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington succeeded Tuesday in getting the House to publicly reprimand a Democratic colleague.

But she needed support of nearly every House Republican as the vast majority of her own party, including six fellow Washington Democrats, opposed her resolution targeting Rep. Chuy Garcia, D-Illinois, for an electioneering toe-tap to anoint a successor.

Gluesenkamp Perez applauded Garcia’s career in public service and said he was retiring for honorable reasons. “But election subversion is wrong no matter who’s doing it,” she added.

The House approved Gluesenkamp Perez’s measure on a 236-183 vote, with 23 Democrats joining 213 Republicans to pass it. Republican U.S. Reps. Michael Baumgartner of Spokane and Dan Newhouse of Sunnyside voted in favor. U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier of Sammamish was the lone Washington Democrat to side with her in-state colleague.

The five-paragraph resolution “disapproves of the behavior” of Garcia in the run-up to the filing deadline for 2026 Democratic candidates in the deep blue, Chicago-area district.

Garcia submitted a petition to run for another term. Days before the deadline, the four-term congressman abetted his chief of staff in gathering required signatures to become a candidate. When the filing deadline passed, and it was clear they were the only two Democratic candidates, Garcia announced he would retire at the end of his term.

Baumgartner, on Monday afternoon, criticized Garcia’s “secret switcheroo” that left his top aide as effectively the only Democratic choice for voters. “”Obviously not a great look for Democracy in the best of light,” he told reporters.

Gluesenkamp Perez laid out the timeline of Garcia’s actions Monday night in a spirited sparring session with fellow Democrats on the House floor. It was an unusual scene as the centrist stood alone at a podium enduring withering verbal attacks from her own caucus after most Republicans exited the chamber. 

At one point, Garcia defended his actions and decision to retire to spend time with his family.

“When a colleague chooses his family, that shouldn’t be a moment for division; it should be a moment for understanding and unity,” he said.

In her statement Tuesday, Gluesenkamp Perez said, “It shouldn’t have caused as much friction as it did to speak honestly and consistently about election subversion,” adding that “Congress is a legislative body, not a social club.” 

This report was first published by the Washington State Standard.

---

Also read:

• 
  Republicans prepare for ‘train wreck’ as Democrats eye new taxes to fill $2B gap
  Washington lawmakers face a $2 billion deficit as Republicans warn of tax proposals they say will worsen a mounting budget crisis.
• 
  Letter: A misleading headline about a misleading initiative
  Battle Ground resident Gary Obermeyer argues that Initiative 26-126 would restrict voting access rather than improve election integrity.
• 
  POLL: Do you support Vancouver’s decision to restore open public comment at every council meeting starting in 2026?
  Vancouver will restore open public comment at every council meeting in 2026 after years of limiting remarks to agenda items.
• 
  Opinion: Washington is bleeding taxpayers and now a State Representative wants to make it worse
  Mark Harmsworth argues that a proposed statewide payroll tax would worsen Washington’s ongoing loss of jobs, businesses, and economic competitiveness.
• 
  Opinion: WEA secret meeting about opposing the initiatives gets leaked
  An opinion from Let’s Go Washington criticizes a leaked Washington Education Association meeting about opposing LGW’s initiatives on girls’ sports and school transparency.