Top Republicans throw cold water on 'nationalizing' elections
Source: Roll Call
Posted February 3, 2026 at 5:06pm
As many Republicans in Congress push for action on a voter ID bill, its future remains uncertain — and key voices in the GOP say they are wary of increasing federal involvement in elections. “I’m supportive of only citizens voting and showing ID at polling places. I think that makes sense … but I’m not in favor of federalizing elections. I mean, I think that’s a constitutional issue,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters Tuesday. “I’m a big believer in decentralized and distributed power, and I think it’s harder to hack 50 elections systems than it is to hack one,” Thune said.
The bill, known as the SAVE Act, would require American voters to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. It has become a rallying cry for House Republicans in recent days, with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., and others threatening to derail must-pass spending bills unless their demands were met.
The group eventually backed down, saying they had reason to hope they would see action “in the coming weeks” on a newly revamped version, dubbed the SAVE America Act, that would also add a photo ID requirement at the polls. It was introduced in the House by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and in the Senate by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah. “I think that the president wants this, and I think that he’s going to heavily get behind it,” Luna said. But adding new mandates for how states administer their elections is a sticking point for some.
While the SAVE Act passed the House in April, it has yet to see action in the Senate. Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, led a letter on Monday urging Senate Rules and Administration Chair Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to advance the legislation through his committee, saying it was “past due.” McConnell, however, is one of a small handful of Republicans who have not signed on as co-sponsors of the SAVE Act.
Read more: https://rollcall.com/2026/02/03/top-republicans-throw-cold-water-nationalizing-elections/
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