House Passes It 285 — 98: Devastated Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez Can't Believe It As She Rejects Results Outright
Washington, D.C. — In a powerful display of bipartisan resolve, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a landmark resolution condemning the “horrors of socialism” by an overwhelming vote of 285-98. The measure, which explicitly denounces socialism in all its forms and opposes its implementation in the United States, marks a decisive rejection of far-left ideology at a critical moment ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Republican Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) praised the straightforward clarity of the resolution:
“A yes vote on this resolution should be a relatively straightforward, easy decision. It simply states that Congress denounces socialism in all its forms and opposes the implementation of socialist policies in the United States of America.”
Democrats Fracture as Socialism Takes Heavy Hits
The vote saw 86 Democrats join Republicans in support, including key New York and New Jersey members such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Notably, several New York Democrats distanced themselves from rising socialist figures like incoming NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Long Island Rep. Tom Suozzi, among others, made clear efforts to separate from the socialist wing during recent campaigns.
Staten Island Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) voted in favor, drawing on her family’s escape from Cuban socialism to underscore the real-world dangers.
Yet Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a leading voice of the socialist movement, was visibly devastated and outright rejected the results. Her reaction highlights the growing divide within the Democratic Party, where grassroots progressives continue pushing radical policies even as moderate Democrats begin to break ranks.
The resolution comes as socialist-aligned candidates like Saikat Chakrabarti — co-founder of the Justice Democrats that propelled AOC to prominence — challenge establishment figures in key races, including the open seat left by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Chakrabarti’s campaign frames the Democratic establishment as “corrupt to the core,” while critics warn that embracing socialism could spell disaster for Democrats in 2026.
Trump Era Exposes Socialism’s Failures
Under President Donald J. Trump and Republican leadership, America has witnessed record economic growth, energy independence, and border security — clear proof that free-market principles deliver results while socialist experiments fail. The House vote reinforces the America First agenda, signaling to voters that Congress stands firmly against policies that stifle innovation, raise taxes, and erode individual freedom.
As one senior Republican source noted, the overwhelming passage demonstrates that even some Democrats now recognize the dangers of socialism after years of observing its failures in cities and states under far-left control.
With midterms approaching, this bipartisan rebuke of socialism hands Republicans a powerful messaging tool. AOC’s outright rejection of the results only underscores how out of touch the radical left remains with mainstream American values. The American people continue to reject socialism, choosing instead the prosperity and freedom that Republican governance provides.
Nearly 150,000 California Mail Ballots Rejected In Primary
California election officials are examining why nearly 150,000 mail-in ballots were rejected during the state’s June primary, with late-arriving ballots accounting for most of the increase.
The higher rejection rate comes despite years of election law changes designed to make voting more accessible and ensure more ballots are ultimately counted.
According to data compiled by the California Secretary of State’s office, 148,241 mail-in ballots were rejected during the June primary, representing 1.73% of all mail ballots returned.
That marks an increase from the 2024 primary, when 108,982 ballots were rejected, or 1.56% of all mail ballots cast.
The largest reason for rejection was ballots arriving too late to qualify under California law.
State data shows that 93,479 ballots were rejected because they failed to meet the state’s deadline requirements.
California allows mail ballots to arrive up to seven days after Election Day, provided they are postmarked on or before Election Day.
Voting experts believe many of the rejected ballots received postmarks dated after Election Day, making them ineligible to be counted even if they arrived within the seven-day grace period.
Kim Alexander, president of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation, said the timing of postal processing appears to be a significant concern.
“Ballots rejected due to lateness are caused primarily to being postmarked too late to count, not because they arrived too late to count,” Alexander said.
Election experts have questioned whether recent operational changes within the U.S. Postal Service may be contributing to delayed postmarks.
Earlier this year, a group of mostly Democratic U.S. senators wrote to the Postal Service expressing concern that mail-processing changes could affect ballot handling during federal elections.
Updated Postal Service procedures mean postmarks may reflect when mail is processed at regional facilities rather than when it first enters the mail system.
Because processing centers have been consolidated in some areas, election officials have warned that postmark timing could be affected.
Before the June primary, California election officials encouraged voters to mail ballots as early as possible because of potential postal delays.
The June election also featured a highly competitive race for governor, which some experts believe encouraged many voters to wait until the final days before casting ballots.
In addition to late-arriving ballots, approximately 44,000 ballots were rejected because election officials determined the voter’s signature did not match the signature on file.
Another 8,300 ballots were rejected because the return envelope did not contain a signature.
State records also show that 743 ballots were rejected because those voters had already cast another ballot.
Other rejected ballots involved missing ballots inside return envelopes or multiple ballots submitted in a single envelope.
The highest rejection rate in the state occurred in Tulare County, where 3.52% of returned mail ballots were rejected.
Alpine County and Merced County followed closely, each recording rejection rates of 3.36%.
California has frequently faced criticism for taking weeks to complete vote counting after major elections, largely because state law permits ballots meeting certain requirements to continue arriving after Election Day.
Following the June primary, President Donald Trump again criticized California’s election system, while the Department of Justice opened an investigation into election administration in Los Angeles County.
Election experts emphasize that the increase in rejected ballots should not be interpreted as evidence of widespread voter fraud.
A 2025 report by the Brookings Institution found documented cases of mail ballot fraud remained extremely rare, estimating roughly four cases for every 10 million mail ballots cast, The Associated Press reported.
State officials have not identified evidence of widespread fraud connected to the June primary, but the increase in rejected ballots is expected to receive additional scrutiny as election administrators evaluate whether changes in postal operations, voter behavior or election procedures contributed to the higher rejection rate.
