Senate GOP Quietly Abandons SAVE Act as Midterm Stakes Come into Focus

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With 97 days until the midterm elections, Senate Republican leadership is privately urging rank-and-file lawmakers to throw cold water on the prospect of passing President Trump’s SAVE America Act anytime soon, according to an internal strategy memo obtained by USA TODAY. Meanwhile, the administration’s emergency request to the Supreme Court to allow mail-in voting restrictions in 23 states faces long odds, and a new analysis shows Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 39%, with voters increasingly frustrated by rising costs and the Iran war.

Senate GOP Memo: “We Don’t Have the Votes” on SAVE Act

Senate Republican leadership is privately telling lawmakers and their staffers to downplay the chances of passing President Trump’s voting restrictions bill, according to an internal strategy memo obtained by USA TODAY.

The messaging document, circulated by the Senate Republican Conference this week, advises senators’ offices to tell reporters there isn’t enough support in the chamber to pass the SAVE America Act. It also urges them to rebuff the president’s demand that Republicans abolish the legislative filibuster — the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.

Proposed talking points for GOP senators:

“I want to pass the SAVE America Act just as much as the President, but we don’t have the votes to pass the SAVE America Act or eliminate the filibuster.”
“We are not going to get a single Democrat to vote for the SAVE America Act no matter how long we are in session.”
“If staying in session will somehow change that outcome, then I’m all for it.”

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) put it bluntly: “We could stay here until the cows come home. It’s not going to change a thing. We keep overpromising and underdelivering, which is not a recipe for good morale or high voter participation in the midterm elections.”

Two paths, both blocked:

Eliminating the filibuster — A significant chunk of Senate Republicans still won’t budge. Speaking to reporters Monday, Thune said White House staffers sat down with about 20 Senate Republicans to gauge support for ending the filibuster — 15 senators signaled they’d be no votes.
Passing the budget resolution — Senate Republicans still don’t have the requisite 50 votes to proceed to the House-passed budget resolution that includes SAVE Act provisions. Even if they did, the $10 billion blueprint may not pass muster with the Senate parliamentarian.

The memo’s filibuster warning:

“If we eliminated the filibuster, the next Democrat majority would repeal SAVE America and stage a complete federal takeover of state elections. They will make DC and Puerto Rico the 51st and 52nd states and pack the Supreme Court. They will create a permanent legislative majority and pass their radical agenda.”

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who backs the measure, admitted: “It doesn’t have the votes. It is an exercise in futility if the votes aren’t there. Period, end of story. Do something productive with your life.”

97 Days Out: GOP Faces Uphill Battle for House and Senate

With 97 days until the November 3 midterm elections, the political landscape is shifting against Republicans. Decision Desk HQ predicts Democrats have a 59% chance of winning the House, forecasting a 224-211 majority . With Republicans holding a historically narrow House majority, only a handful of seats need to change hands for control to flip.

Senate math: Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority, meaning Democrats need a net gain of four seats. Decision Desk HQ narrowly favors Republicans to retain control through a 50-50 split, with Vice President JD Vance casting tie-breaking votes . However, Democrats are competitive in several key states, including North Carolina and Maine where they are leading in polls .

What a Democratic House would mean: A Democratic House would give the party control of powerful committees and subpoena authority, likely subjecting Trump’s administration to two years of investigations and potentially exposing him to a third impeachment drive . His legislative agenda would stall, and Democrats would gain a national platform from which to scrutinize the Iran war, administration ethics, and the president’s attempts to reshape elections.

The headwinds for Republicans:

Gas prices have climbed, with some reports showing prices above $4 per gallon as the Iran war disrupts energy markets
Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 39% according to recent polling, with voters expressing frustration over the Iran war and inflation
The president’s party historically loses ground in midterm elections — in 20 of the past 23 midterms, the president’s party lost House seats

Political analyst Chuck Todd noted in a podcast marking 100 days until the midterms that Republicans had gone from “clear favorites” in the Senate nine months ago to “very small favorites,” and that House elections would likely yield a 10 to 25-seat Democratic advantage .

The Bigger Picture: A Pattern of Pushback

The combination of developments this week reveals a pattern of push back against the administration’s efforts to reshape elections:

Senate Republicans are privately abandoning the SAVE Act — Leadership is telling lawmakers to tell reporters they have the votes, and 15 Republican senators signaled they’d be no votes on eliminating the filibuster.
Two federal courts have blocked Trump’s mail voting order — A district court and the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals have both ruled against the administration, with the appeals court saying the order “directs unprecedented levels of involvement by federal officials in how states administer elections”.
23 states are fighting the executive order — The states argue that the order violates the Constitution’s separation of powers, the Elections and Electors Clauses, and the Tenth Amendment’s anti-commandeering doctrine.
The Supreme Court is unlikely to save Trump’s mail voting order — Constitutional experts call it “patently unconstitutional,” and the administration is not even defending it on the merits, instead arguing the lawsuit was premature.

The Bottom Line

Senate Republican leadership is privately abandoning the SAVE Act, telling lawmakers to downplay its chances and rebuff Trump’s filibuster demands. With 97 days until the midterms, Democrats are favored to win the House, while Republicans face a ferocious battle to retain the Senate. Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 39%, and the administration’s emergency request to the Supreme Court to allow mail-in voting restrictions faces long odds. The courts have repeatedly rejected the administration’s election-related demands, and the pattern of push back shows no sign of letting up.

The people must pay attention. The people must speak out. And the people must vote.

What You Can Do Right Now

Check Your Voter Registration. Visit your state’s election website or Vote.org to confirm your registration and update your address.

Contact Your Members of Congress. Tell them you oppose the SAVE Act and the administration’s attacks on voting rights. Demand they protect the integrity of the 2026 midterms.

Talk to Your Neighbors. Many people don’t know that Senate Republicans are privately abandoning the SAVE Act or about the Supreme Court request. Spread the word.

Support the Fight For the People PAC. Support Democrats at every level who will defend the right to vote, protect healthcare, and build an economy that works for everyone. Join the effort for a better America at Fightforthepeoplepac.com and Democrats.org. Be the voice.

Sources

China Daily: “GOP stares at difficult path ahead of midterms” (July 27, 2026)
J.P. Morgan: “Don’t be derailed by the US midterm elections” (June 2026)
163.com: “Midterm elections countdown: Democrats favored to win House” (July 26, 2026)
Reuters: “Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow mail-in voting restrictions” (July 27, 2026)
CNBC: “Trump administration asks Supreme Court to intervene to allow mail-in voting restrictions” (July 27, 2026)
Xinhua: “Trump seeks Supreme Court approval for mail-in voting order” (July 28, 2026)
Sina Finance: “Midterm election preview: House race outlook” (July 27, 2026)

Written and composed using AI.