Eleven Democratic lawmakers missed the procedural vote that effectively saved Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from impeachment this week, and the backlash inside their party was swift. The House voted 211-204 on Tuesday to refer eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth to committee, a margin that would have flipped if the absent members had been present.
The vote, held on the evening of November 10, gave House Republicans the numbers they needed to shelve the impeachment effort. Several absent Democrats said they were stuck in Washington traffic or delayed by conflicting events. Others accused Speaker Mike Johnson of closing the vote before they could reach the floor. Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico wrote on X that she was blocked from entering the Capitol by a traffic incident and a police escort, and that she filed a report of her “NO” vote in the Congressional Record.
For Democrats, the episode exposed an organizational failure at a moment when the party had a chance to make the Iran war a central issue. The failed vote also handed Hegseth and President Trump a political win. Trump, speaking at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day, praised Hegseth and said he had done a “fantastic job” as Pentagon chief.
Why 11 Absences Changed the Outcome
The articles of impeachment, introduced by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, alleged that Hegseth violated congressional authority by waging war in Iran without proper approval. The vote to refer them to the Judiciary Committee failed by seven votes, 211-204. Only one Republican, Massie, supported the effort, while 11 Democrats were absent.
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California told MeidasTouch there was “no reason why we should have lost this vote because of attendance issues.” Rep. Julia Brownley of California wrote on Facebook that Johnson “closed the vote” before she could reach the floor. Rep. Marilyn Strickland of Washington missed the vote by one minute, her office told Politico. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi was in San Francisco for a veterans event, her spokesperson told SFGate.
The Party’s Reckoning
Maryland Rep. Glenn Ivey called the absences “certainly disappointing” but said there would be “other chances” to advance impeachment efforts when Democrats regain control of both chambers in January. Ivey also acknowledged that voters’ top priority remains the cost of living. “There aren’t a lot of people, in my district anyway, whose ability to stay in their house depends on whether Hegseth gets impeached or not,” he said.
Several Democrats who did vote noted that they had overcome their own obstacles. New York Rep. Pat Ryan wrote on X that he was recovering from back surgery but left the hospital early to cast his vote.
How many Democrats missed the Hegseth impeachment vote? Eleven Democrats missed the key procedural vote on November 10, 2026. The House voted 211-204 to refer the articles of impeachment to committee, a margin of seven votes, which meant the absences were decisive.
The failed vote leaves Hegseth in place as Defense Secretary and sets up a likely renewal of the impeachment push in January, when the new Congress is seated. Check back for updates as Democratic leaders weigh their next steps.
