TLDR:
- Washington Democrat Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is forcing a House vote accusing Illinois Democrat Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García of “undermining” a fair election by handpicking his successor.
- García announced his retirement the day after Illinois’ filing deadline, leaving his chief of staff as the only Democratic candidate in a safely blue district.
- Fellow Democrats slammed the resolution as “character assassination” and a “cheap political stunt,” while Republicans applauded Gluesenkamp Perez.
- García cited his wife’s progressing multiple sclerosis, heart health concerns and caring for their newly adopted 8-year-old grandson as reasons for his last-minute retirement.
House Democrats erupted in a rare intraparty battle Tuesday as Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez forced a floor vote condemning fellow Democrat Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García for allegedly rigging his succession.
Ms. Gluesenkamp Perez, a Washington Democrat, accused Mr. García of “subverting an election” by waiting until after Illinois’ filing deadline to announce his retirement, ensuring his chief of staff Patty Garcia would face no Democratic primary competition in the safely blue district.
“If you’re not going to run, you don’t get to choose your successor,” Ms. Gluesenkamp Perez said. Republicans applauded when she declared: “People bled and died for the right to elect their own representative.”
Democrats fired back with fury. Rep. Jan Schakowsky called it shameful, while Rep. Delia Ramirez labeled it a “cheap political stunt.”
Mr. García, 69, said his cardiologist advised him to prioritize his health, and his wife, who has multiple sclerosis, asked him not to run. They also recently adopted their 8-year-old grandson after his mother died in 2023.
Democratic leaders tried killing the resolution Monday, but Ms. Gluesenkamp Perez secured Republican support to force Tuesday’s vote. Only one other Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden, joined her.
Read more:
• House Democrats spar over intraparty election complaint against Illinois Rep. Garcia
This article is written with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence based solely on Washington Times original reporting and wire services. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Ann Wog, Managing Editor for Digital, at awog@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
