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from https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/house-vote-reprimand-chuy-garcia-succession-plan/

House votes to reprimand Rep. Chuy Garcia over controversial succession plan
By Todd Feurer, Chris Tye, The Associated Press, Matthew Cramer
Updated on: November 18, 2025 / 6:13 PM CST / CBS/AP

The House on Tuesday passed a rare rebuke of U.S. Rep. Chuy Garc|!a,
D-IL, for quietly clearing the 2026 Democratic primary field so his own
chief of staff would be the only Democrat on the ballot in next year's
midterm elections.

A group of 23 Democrats joined almost all Republicans to back the "disapproval" resolution on Tuesday by a 238-186 vote, with 10 members
not voting, and four voting present.

Earlier this month, Garcia announced he would not seek re-election in
2026. On the last day for candidates to file petitions to get on the
ballot, his chief of staff Patty Garcia (no relation to the congressman)
filed her own nominating petitions at the deadline, and sources have
said the congressman will pull his own petitions, leaving his top aide
as the only Democrat on the ballot in the March primary.

Garcia has since said his cardiologist recommended he not run for
another term, and while he had already gathered enough petitions to get
on the ballot in 2026, he later decided, at the urging of his wife, to
drop his re-election bid and retire at the end of his term.

Still, Garcia has faced criticism for not immediately making his
decision not to run for reelection public, and allowing other Democratic candidates besides his chief of staff to run for his seat.

Chicago Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) has said he is considering a run
for Garcia's seat as an independent candidate.

The move to formally admonish Garcia for his maneuver divided Democrats
who were furious with a member of their own caucus for triggering the vote.

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez, D-WA, defied her party by introducing the resolution on the House floor to rebuke Garcia, who represents parts of western Chicago and its suburbs. She said the vote disapproving of
Garcia's conduct was necessary because it's important to call out
"election subversion" by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

"My responsibility as an elected representative of my community is to
say loudly and consistently, humbly and with love that no one has the
right to subvert the right of the people to choose their elected representatives," Perez said during a Monday evening floor speech.

One Democrat who did not vote to reprimand Garcia was U.S. Rep. Raja Krishanmoorthi (D-IL), who said it's unfair to single out Garcia for a maneuver many lawmakers have used over the years. He argued Illinois
should change its election laws to prevent such a move in the future.

"It's a relic of Illinois law that needs to be changed, and I think that
we have to go to Springfield, Illinois, the capitol, to change it to
prevent this kind of thing from happening, But I didn't think it was appropriate, given unfortunately the large number of people across
numerous states who have engaged in this, to have Chuy Garcia singled
out for this type of treatment. That's why I voted no," Krishnamoorthi
told CNN.

Garcia did not respond to the House vote to rebuke him on Tuesday, but
during a speech on the House floor on Monday to announce his retirement,
he said he was "proud to have served with integrity and respect."

"I followed the rules of Illinois and its election law when the ballot
was open for anyone to file, as they had over the past six years, and
the four times that I stood for election," he said. "I was shocked to be called out in a resolution on the House floor. I think you would agree
with me that voters don't want these arguments in Congress. The voters
want us to be working to help them to afford health care, rent, and
child care."

Meantime, Perez was facing blowback from fellow Democratic lawmakers.

A Tuesday statement before the vote from House Democratic leaders,
including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, defended Garcia as a "progressive champion" and a "good man."

"We unequivocally oppose this misguided resolution and urge our
colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus to reject it," the statement said.

Multiple Democratic lawmakers rallied to Garcia's defense ahead of the
vote and attested to his character and history as an advocate on issues
like immigrant rights. Others jeered and booed at Perez as she spoke
during a debate on the House floor.

Democratic leaders had urged their colleagues to oppose the measure and multiple House Democrats had warned the measure was a distraction that
did not merit a vote on the House floor.

"This is why the Ethics Committee exists," Rep. Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., wrote in a lengthy social media post that
explained her reasoning for opposing the resolution. The New York
progressive star warned that the vote may establish a precedent that
members "will be forced to vote on a slew of individual member
indiscretions determined by political convenience of whoever is in the majority."

Nearly every Democrat in the House except Perez voted to quash a vote on
the petition Monday night, but the effort advanced with the backing of
all Republicans.

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