Senate Majority Leader Thune Is a ‘No’ on Changing Filibuster Rules As SAVE Act Stalls in Congress – RedState

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which would require providing ID to vote, passed the House in February but remains stalled in the Senate, where it needs 60 yes votes to overcome a filibuster.

With a tight 53-47 GOP margin in the Senate, that’s unlikely to happen.

Many have suggested that we get rid of the filibuster altogether and force up or down votes in the chamber, or restore the “talking filibuster” — but Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) threw cold water on that plan:

Thune said Monday that changing the Senate’s longstanding filibuster rules to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act was not a realistic option despite a pressure campaign from Trump and some conservative lawmakers.

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” Thune told ABC News when asked if Republicans could change Senate rules to get around the 60-vote threshold required for most legislation.

According to a February CNN poll, 83% of Americans support voter ID. So it’s beyond frustrating for many that the measure can’t pass through the Senate and head to the president’s desk.

🚨NEW: CNN poll shows Americans support voter ID to vote in elections.

Harry Enten admits the public is with Nicki Minaj – photo ID to vote. pic.twitter.com/qUvYtI4e8P

-Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) February 3, 2026

Some Republican lawmakers have pushed for a return to the “talking filibuster,” the old-fashioned version where senators had to talk nonstop to block legislation. In the modern version, all they have to do is signal their intention to filibuster, and they can then go about their business.

Although Trump said passing the law would be essential for the Republican Party to gain a majority in the midterms, Thune said the votes simply aren’t there for this proposal:

🚨 BREAKING: Senate Leader John Thune announces the votes ARE NOT THERE for a filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act – AND he doubts the ability to pass the bill through reconciliation, which would only require a simple majority.

Trump talked about convincing the 4-5… pic.twitter.com/drE6ythGIs

– Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 10, 2026

Senate Leader John Thune announces the votes ARE NOT THERE for a filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act – AND he doubts the bill can be passed through reconciliation, which would only require a simple majority.

Trump mentioned that it was necessary to convince the 4-5 holdouts so that this could be done yesterday.

THUNE: “The votes are not there for a talking parliamentary obstruction, it’s just a reality.”

On reconciliation: ‘Very, very difficult’ and ‘pieces’ of bill could be included — Thune tells Punchbowl

A vote will likely still take place, but it will require 60 votes.

This won’t go well. It’s a fact.

Thune said a “talking filibuster” is not the silver bullet some believe it to be, because senators can add an unlimited number of amendments:

“What people don’t realize is that it’s unlimited debate but also unlimited amendments,” Thune said, according to The Hill. “You must have unified support not only to achieve this goal, but also to reject amendments that would overturn the legislation.”

We’ve discussed the pros and cons of eliminating the filibuster, and opinions remain stubbornly divided.

MORE: Trump tells Republican Senate he won’t sign any more legislation until SAVE America Act passes

Is the SAVE America Act worth neutralizing the filibuster? The signs now say Yes.

It is certainly aggravating that our legislature cannot pass a bill that has overwhelming support from those who should matter, the voters. Despite the frustration of some with the inability of Republican leaders to resolve the impasse, it is important to remember that ultimately it is Democrats who defy the will of the people. The only way to stop their shenanigans is to win big in the midterms.

Otherwise, we will see more gridlock as the minority party continues to stifle common sense laws.

Editor’s note: Democrats are doing everything in their power to undermine the integrity of our elections.

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