Video House Democrats fuming over absent colleagues in Hegseth impeachment vote Fox News congressional correspondent Bill Melugin reports on tensions within the Democratic Party after 11 House Democrats did not attend the vote to impeach War Secretary Pete Hegseth on ‘Special Report.’
Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif. — one of the more than a dozen House members who did not vote Tuesday on the impeachment push against Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth — explained that he had open-heart surgery.
"Thank you to everyone who has reached out with prayers, well wishes, and words of encouragement. Your kindness means a great deal to my family and me. On Tuesday, November 10th, I underwent emergency open-heart surgery. The surgery went well, and I am now recovering," the congressman said in a Wednesday post on X.
"When medically cleared, I’ll return to Washington, D.C., and continue fighting for Orange County. In the meantime, I’ll continue working from the district alongside my team to serve our constituents. To the doctors, surgeons, nurses, and medical staff: Thank you for the extraordinary care you’ve provided and the compassion you've shown my family. Nos vemos pronto," he added, which translates from Spanish to English as "See you soon."
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Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., speaks during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on March 25, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Over the weekend, the congressman experienced a heart attack, according to the Orange County Register.
Correa's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on Thursday.
The House voted 211-204 on Tuesday to refer the articles of impeachment to the Judiciary Committee, avoiding a vote on the actual articles of impeachment. Eleven House Democrats and seven House Republicans did not vote.
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U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth takes questions from reporters during a news conference at the Pentagon on Nov. 10, 2026 in Arlington, Va. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Rep. Thomas Massie, the outgoing GOP lawmaker behind the impeachment articles, was the only House Republican who voted against the move to sideline the impeachment effort.
While Correa couldn't be there for the vote, he declared in a Tuesday post on X, "I vehemently support the impeachment of Secretary Hegseth.
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"Hegseth has dragged us into another endless war. He has fired experienced generals who disagree with him and the president. And under his leadership, the military has blatantly discriminated against women, LGBTQ+ service members, and others. Our troops deserve a Secretary of Defense who puts their safety first and honors our Constitution," Correa added.
