Democrats Condemn Pete Hegseth Vote No-Shows
Democrats turned on colleagues after 11 absences helped derail the Hegseth impeachment effort.
November 11, 2026 · Updated 4:00pm ET
44%
Left · 24
26%
Center · 14
30%
Right · 16
Pano rates the coverage Leans Left.
What happened
- Democrats condemned 11 House colleagues who missed a key vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, while at least four absent lawmakers said traffic kept them from voting.
- The House voted 211-204 Tuesday to send the impeachment articles to committee, blocking the effort for this Congress; seven Republicans also missed the vote.
- Democratic Reps. Melanie Stansbury
Melanie StansburyUnited States Representative from New Mexico since 2021, Laura Gillen
Laura GillenAmerican politician and attorney, Jonathan Jackson
Jonathan JacksonAmerican politician, activist, and businessman (born 1966) and Marilyn Strickland
Marilyn StricklandAmerican politician from Washington State cited traffic problems, with several describing delays involving a police-escorted bus. - Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove called the absences “shameful,” while Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said lawmakers must show up for work but acknowledged some might have legitimate reasons.
- Democrats plan to renew the impeachment effort when they take control of Congress in January, though removing Hegseth would require a two-thirds Senate vote.
How the left told it
Left-leaning outlets emphasized Democratic anger over an attendance failure that helped Republicans block impeachment. HuffPost highlighted lawmakers condemning their colleagues, while MS NOW called the outcome a “huge embarrassment.” The Guardian also covered the backlash alongside absent members’ explanations, including traffic and conflicting events.
How the right told it
Right-leaning outlets highlighted Democrats’ missed votes and the resulting internal backlash. The Daily Wire described the party’s base as “fuming,” while the Daily Mail focused on Nancy Pelosi attending an awards ceremony instead. The Western Journal emphasized Democrats “turning on each other” after the absences.
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