Democrats blindside leaders with move to bail out Johnson

Two Democrats — Jared Golden and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez — surprised House leaders by voting with Republicans to pass a rule that advanced a slate of GOP messaging bills.
That vote let Speaker Mike Johnson keep his September agenda alive, moving measures on condemning socialism, penalizing pro‑Israel boycotts and a lobster/right‑whale bill that matters to coastal communities.
Democratic leaders expressed frustration but promised talks rather than punishments, a flap that spotlights party unity concerns ahead of the midterms.