The House scuttled a push led by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Democrats to impeach Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a setback for Democrats’ hopes to challenge the administration over the Iran war during the lame-duck session before they take control of Congress in January.

The chamber voted 211-204 to refer the impeachment resolution to the House Judiciary Committee, effectively killing it, with only Massie breaking ranks with his party. But the effort is likely to succeed in the next Congress, given unanimous Democratic support.

The impeachment effort was primarily aimed at Hegseth’s leadership of the war in Iran, but also targeted him over military operations against the Houthis in Yemen and in Venezuela, and represented an avenue for Democrats to express their disapproval of and opposition to the Iran war. 

“The so-called secretary of defense has abused his power, undermined our national security and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran, which has skyrocketed prices on the American people and made the country less safe,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), expected to become the next speaker, said over the weekend. “Pete Hegseth has got to go.”

Massie said earlier Tuesday that he would redouble his efforts to impeach Hegseth even if his first attempt failed, including bringing up the eight articles of impeachment included in his resolution for individual votes.

Future outcomes will likely depend on attendance — 11 Democrats, including Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Haley Stevens (D-MI), were absent for Tuesday’s vote, as were seven Republicans.