With roughly 90 days remaining before voters head to the polls in the midterm elections, pressure is building within the Republican Party to advance more of President Donald Trump\u2019s legislative agenda.<\/p>\n
Several Republican senators are now publicly urging Senate leadership to move more quickly, arguing that there is little time left to deliver on several key priorities before lawmakers leave Washington for the campaign season.<\/p>\n
Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee has pushed his GOP colleagues for months to fall behind his plan to pass the SAVE America Act.<\/p>\n
The MAGA megaphone has used his 700,000 followers to blast doomed proposals to push the bill\u2019s voting restrictions through a daily barrage of social media posts.<\/p>\n
Lee\u2019s favored alternatives, like forcing the act through the budget process or returning to a talking filibuster, have not gained traction.<\/p>\n
His efforts, which have picked up recently, are not gaining any traction in a caucus that is eager to turn its attention to other priorities ahead of its upcoming monthlong recess.<\/p>\n
Even the senator\u2019s recent appeal to conservative activist Charlie Kirk, whose assassination in Utah had brought Republicans together last year, is not resonating among the frustrated GOP ranks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI suspect Charlie Kirk would want us to remain in session and either (1) pass the SAVE America Act through budget reconciliation, or (2) require filibustering senators to speak, and keep debating it until it passes,\u201d Lee wrote in a Monday X post.<\/p>\n
Senate Republicans remain unconvinced. Majority Leader John Thune has insisted the bill lacks support in the chamber and rejected Lee\u2019s approaches to overcoming Democratic obstruction.<\/p>\n
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters that advocates of President Trump\u2019s strict voting bill should \u201cturn our fire on the Democrats.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thune is facing mounting pressure from Trump to pass the legislation known as the SAVE America Act.<\/p>\n
Trump in July demanded the Senate Majority Leader cancel the chamber\u2019s upcoming August break until senators pass a strict proof-of-citizenship voting bill, even as Republicans lack the votes to advance it.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, Thune said passing the measure was his top priority going into the August recess.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt seems to me sometimes I\u2019m the only one who can count to 50 in this town. But we don\u2019t have the votes to get rid of the filibuster, and we aren\u2019t flipping 10 Democrats to vote for the SAVE America Act,\u201d Thune said.<\/p>\n
\n\ud83d\udea8 NOW: John Thune says we can possibly pass \u201cpieces of the SAVE America Act\u201d through budget reconciliation, which only needs 50 votes + JD Vance<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re having conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll keep you posted.\u201d\u00a0pic.twitter.com\/tMB74GJ13H<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh)\u00a0August 4, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
<\/p>\n
\n\ud83d\udea8 JUST IN: Leader John Thune says Republicans should turn their SAVE America Act fire off of him and onto Democrats, and use it as a midterm issue against the left<\/p>\n
\u201cHow about we make it about them!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSeems to me I\u2019m the only one who can count to 50. We don\u2019t have the votes.\u201d\u2026\u00a0pic.twitter.com\/LOQJWwd9Vs<\/a><\/p>\n