House GOP Leaders Don’t Crack The Whip To Advance Agenda Like Dems Do

September 05, 2026 9:01 AM ET House Republican leaders haven’t enforced the party’s America First agenda the same way House Democratic leaders dropped the hammer to pass their caucus’ priorities. Republicans frequently broke with their caucus on rules votes and legislation without the threat of serious punishments, such as losing their committee assignments, while Democratic leadership threatened to punish Democratic Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington for voting with Republicans to pass a rule on Tuesday. Nine rules votes have failed under House Speaker Mike Johnson’s watch, while no rules votes failed to pass under former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s leadership.House GOP leaders have not used their powers to cut spending, ban Flock Safety cameras and oth