Senate Majority Leader John Thune is facing another direct challenge from inside his own conference.
Sen. Darline Graham of South Carolina says she is ready to stay in Washington for as long as it takes to pass the SAVE America Act and send it to President Trump’s desk.
Her message leaves no room for excuses, delays, or a comfortable August escape while one of the Republican Party’s biggest election-integrity priorities remains unfinished.
Graham put her support for President Trump in writing:
That is the kind of resolve Republican voters have been waiting to hear.
President Trump has demanded that the Senate remain in session until lawmakers pass the election-security bill. He has also renewed his call for Republicans to eliminate the filibuster if Democrats continue using it to stop the conservative agenda voters elected this Congress to deliver.
The Associated Press reports that Thune has resisted canceling the August break without a clear path to the 60 votes required under current Senate rules. Republicans control 53 seats, leaving them short of that threshold if Democrats hold together.
Thune has said he supports the legislation and has pointed to previous Senate votes on election integrity. But President Trump and a growing bloc of Republican senators are making a much simpler argument: the Senate should not reward its own failure by leaving town.
Graham is adding her name to a group that already includes Sens. Mike Lee, Rick Scott, and Ashley Moody.
Their willingness to object to the recess could force Senate leadership to put members on the record instead of quietly letting the chamber empty out.
The stakes are straightforward.
Congress.gov states that the SAVE America Act would require documentary proof of United States citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. It would also require voters to present photo identification when casting a ballot in person, with defined alternatives for eligible voters who need them.
Those are basic safeguards that enjoy overwhelming support among Americans who believe American elections should be reserved for American citizens.
Graham was sworn into the Senate earlier this month after being appointed to fill the seat held by her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham. She has wasted little time staking out a position on the fight now consuming the Republican conference.
Thune can keep pointing at the Senate math. Graham is pointing at the job Republicans were sent to Washington to do.
If senators are willing to campaign on secure elections, they should be willing to stay at work until they deliver them.
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[ H/T WLT Report ]
