GOP rebels accuse Thune of ‘gaslighting’ conservatives with new SAVE America vote

Published March 12, 2026 4:05pm ET



Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is facing backlash for his most recent plan for bringing the SAVE America Act to the Senate floor in an effort to ease tension with MAGA.

A handful of House Republicans, who have been leading the fight to pass the voter identification bill, are upset with the majority leader for scheduling a doomed vote on the measure next week. Hardliners in the House want Thune to skirt the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold to pass the bill in favor of a talking filibuster, which would require a simple majority vote.

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