In a stunning blow to Republican leaders, the House rejected an effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday after a number of Republicans joined Democrats in opposing it.

The final vote was 214 to 216.

The vote was incredibly dramatic. It was tied 215 to 215 for several minutes, with every Democrat voting no along with three Republicans : Reps. Ken Buck (Colo.), Tom McClintock (Calif.) and Mike Gallagher (Wis.). A tied vote meant the effort would fail, so Democrats began shouting Order! at Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to drop the gavel and end it.

Republicans were furiously prodding Gallagher to change his vote, but he wouldnt. In the end, Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah) voted no, not because he opposed it but because it allows the House to bring up the bill again another day. That bumped the final tally to 214-216.

GOP leaders appeared to be counting on one Democrat to be absent in order to squeak through the vote: Rep. Al Green of Texas. He had been out following surgery. But he unexpectedly showed up for Tuesdays vote.

I always intended to be here, Green told reporters after the vote. I had surgery. Im recovering, but this was important.