\n Speaker Mike Johnson nearly lost control of the House floor \u2014 again \u2014 because of a group of disgruntled conservatives.\n <\/p>\n
\n Then a pair of Democrats stepped in to help.\n <\/p>\n
\n Two centrist Democrats, Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, took the unusual step Tuesday of rescuing GOP leaders\u2019 own agenda in the face of a conservative rebellion.\n <\/p>\n
\n Those Democrats backed a key GOP procedural vote that needed to succeed for Republicans to later bring several bills to the floor.\n <\/p>\n
\n The reason? It helped pave the way for a priority bill for Golden supporting lobstermen, according to two people familiar with the discussion. The bill already has White House support, and Golden and others hope it can become law this year.\n <\/p>\n
\n But their vote also allowed Johnson to proceed with messaging votes that Democrats oppose, including a resolution to condemn socialism that Republicans hope to use against Democrats on the campaign trail.\n <\/p>\n
\n The defection of those two Democrats quickly enraged members of their own party \u2014 including some party leaders, who were shocked by the two members\u2019 votes, several people told CNN.\n <\/p>\n
\n Asked whether he\u2019s disappointed in those members, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters: \u201cThe two Democrats who voted for the rule did not give any member of House Democratic leadership a heads-up, and as a result, blindsided the entire caucus and created a significant breach of trust.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n Jeffries said it\u2019s \u201cunder discussion\u201d whether the two lawmakers will face repercussions.\n <\/p>\n
\n Later Tuesday, Jeffries said, in a joint statement with Reps. Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar, \u201cIt is an action that necessitates a serious response, and we have asked the Committee on Caucus Rules to take this up in short order.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n Golden said in a statement, \u201cI voted for the rule for one simple reason: It paved the way for a vote on my bill to protect Maine lobstermen from costly, burdensome new regulations that would put them out of business.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cMy constituents don\u2019t care about the team sports of Congressional procedure,\u201d he added.\n <\/p>\n
\n Across the caucus, Democrats argued the defection in their ranks prevented a massive and embarrassing defeat for Republicans that could have forced Johnson to send members home for the rest of September.\n <\/p>\n
\n Typically, members of the minority party stick together to oppose these kind of procedural votes, which the majority party needs to bring bills to the floor.\n <\/p>\n