Landsman votes against condemning socialism — then doubles down
U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Cincinnati, who is locked in a tight re-election bid, was among those who voted against a House resolution Tuesday condemning socialism in all its forms, including the Democratic Socialists of America.
The measure passed 220-192.
The resolution, introduced by Rep. Jeff Crank, R-Colo., also opposed implementing socialist policies in the United States and called for voter ID requirements for federal elections. Only eight Democrats joined Republicans in support. Landsman was among the 192 Democrats who opposed it.
🚨I’ve just introduced a resolution to condemn socialism and the Democratic Socialists of America, whose policies seek to fundamentally change America's elections and political system.
Socialism is fundamentally at odds with our values as Americans. American citizens being able… pic.twitter.com/cenSQxe83u
— Rep. Jeff Crank (@RepJeffCrank) August 27, 2026
Hours later, Landsman posted a video to X that characterized Republican governing philosophies of limited and diffuse federal authority as a failure to govern.
“Congressional Republicans can’t govern,” Landsman said. Doubling down on socialism, Landsman then asserted that priorities must include: “getting people into good quality housing and I mean just any time something pops up, we solve it.”
Congressional Republicans can’t govern.
Our priority has to be solving problems and getting things done. pic.twitter.com/WccIFbTXwR
— Congressman Greg Landsman (@RepGregLandsman) September 1, 2026
The vote came amid growing Democratic support for democratic socialist candidates in primaries. Republicans argued the resolution drew a clear line against an ideology they said has produced famine, dictatorship and more than 200 million deaths historically.
Under socialist regimes — responsible for a conservatively estimated 262 million deaths in the 20th century alone — expansive centralized government is treated as an all-purpose problem-solver for every emerging issue.
According to historian Rudolph Rummel, political mass murder grows increasingly common as political power becomes unconstrained.
“The more power a regime has, the more likely people will be killed. This is a major reason for promoting freedom,” Rummel argued. “At the other end of the scale, where power is diffuse, checked, and balanced, political violence is a rarity.”
Landsman’s office further displayed his priorities by sharing a “constituent thank-you,” for expediting a work authorization renewal. The post emphasized constituent services for immigrants while drawing sharp criticisms from respondents about non-citizen voters.
Opponents say that Landsman also showed his true colors when voting against H.R. 8464, the Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act, in June.
Fellow Ohio Democrat Rep. Marcy Kaptur was excused from the vote on socialism. Kaptur, of Toledo, was a passenger in a hit-and-run crash Aug. 2 while heading to church. She spent five days in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, including cuts from the seatbelt and airbags, and planned rehabilitation. With the House in recess, she said she had time to recover before returning to Washington.
Kaptur, first elected in 1983, faces a competitive November race against Republican Derek Merrin, who has received backing from the National Republican Congressional Committee. Landsman, representing Ohio’s 1st District, is also seeking re-election.
