A new poll confirms it: President Trump is right about the importance of the SAVE America Act, an election integrity bill awaiting action in the Senate.
This legislation, which has already passed the House, would require that a would-be voter present documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote and would require that voters present a photo ID to cast a ballot.
The new poll – conducted for Tea Party Patriots Action (TPPA) by John McLaughlin of McLaughlin & Associates – shows that election integrity is a bipartisan issue, with overwhelming majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents wanting to require proof of citizenship to vote in American elections, the centerpiece of the SAVE America Act.
Just as importantly, this poll shows that Americans want a real debate in the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act, not merely a charade that’s nothing more than a show vote. I know, because the survey shows that by a 59-21 percent margin, survey respondents want a “real effort to pass” the legislation, not “a vote they know will fail so they can say they tried.”
Further, the poll asked about some of the objections to the legislation – to wit, that requiring a photo ID could prevent some Americans from voting because obtaining a photo ID is too difficult. Across all demographic, racial, and geographic lines, more voters said they believe requiring a photo ID is a reasonable requirement that the majority of Americans can easily meet than believe it is too heavy a burden – including 64 percent of black voters and 64 percent of Hispanic voters.
This poll should ring alarm bells for Republican Senators who think they can get away with a “failure theater” farce. The American people want action, and they will not accept excuses.
To be clear, despite what some opponents of the SAVE America Act may think, TPPA is not calling for the elimination of the filibuster; our grassroots activists have long recognized the virtues of the Senate’s protection of minority rights.
We are distressed, however, at the misuse of the filibuster. Beginning almost 20 years ago, Senate minorities took a vital tool meant to protect their rights and began to wield the mere threat of employing it as a weapon to hijack the majority’s agenda. In an inversion of the filibuster’s true purpose, we now have a situation in which, instead of the filibuster giving voice to the minority, the mere silent threat of launching a filibuster is used to silence the majority.
So while the grassroots activists of TPPA are not demanding the elimination of the filibuster, we are urging the Senate to fight for the SAVE America Act by talking and debating on the Senate floor. Let’s engage in the kind of debate the Framers wanted. Robust, lively, and engaging. Let's give everyone the opportunity to speak to their heart’s content within the rules. Then let’s vote.
Importantly, that's what the American people want, too. When asked if they agreed or disagreed that election integrity and simple measures like voter ID are worthy of serious consideration and debate in the U.S. Senate, an overwhelming 71 percent agreed.
For the American people, this is a serious matter of some urgency. They recognize that millions and millions of illegal aliens were allowed to cross our borders and enter our country during the four years that Joe Biden was president, and they are concerned about election integrity. They want to know that our elections are secure, and they want to know their elected officials are taking steps to address the concerns raised by the previous administration’s decision to allow millions of aliens to cross our borders illegally and without vetting. The survey asked: “With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, how urgent do you believe it is for the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act to ensure that only U.S. citizens are on the voter rolls and that photo ID is required before the first ballots are cast?” A full 60 percent said it was urgent.
One does not have to be a rocket scientist to know how to interpret these numbers. All one has to know is that six and seven are larger than two and three, and that, in politics, it’s usually better to be on the side that’s got the larger numbers.
So to Senate Majority Leader Thune (R-SD) and his colleagues, I say: the facts are clear. The American people want the SAVE America Act passed, and they are in no mood to settle for show votes.
Jenny Beth Martin is Honorary Chairman of Tea Party Patriots Action.
Editor's Note: The Democrats are doing everything in their power to undermine the integrity of our elections.
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