GOP Senator Under Fire For Turning On Base, Refusing To Back SAVE Act

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced Tuesday that she will not be supporting the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a popular voter ID bill that has already passed in the House. Murkowski’s dissent weakens the chances of passing the legislation in time for the upcoming midterm elections, as doing so would require procedural maneuvers in the Senate and support from almost all Senate Republicans.

“When Democrats attempted to advance sweeping election reform legislation in 2021, Republicans were unanimous in opposition because it would have federalized elections, something we have long opposed,” Murkowski announced in an X post. The senator was speaking in reference to the Democrat-backed John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a 2021 bill that would have instituted measures like automatic voter registration, expanded early voting and bans on election integrity proposals outlined in the SAVE Act.

Murkowski claimed that her stance is consistent by opposing two radically different bills. “Not only does the U.S. Constitution clearly provide states the authority to regulate the ‘times, places, and manner’ of holding federal elections, but one-size-fits-all mandates from Washington, D.C., seldom work in places like Alaska,” the senator continued.

“Election Day is fast approaching. Imposing new federal requirements now, when states are deep into their preparations, would negatively impact election integrity by forcing election officials to scramble to adhere to new policies likely without the necessary resources. Ensuring public trust in our elections is at the core of our democracy, but federal overreach is not how we achieve this.”

When Democrats attempted to advance sweeping election reform legislation in 2021, Republicans were unanimous in opposition because it would have federalized elections, something we have long opposed. Now, I’m seeing proposals such as the SAVE Act and MEGA that would effectively…

— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) February 10, 2026

Murkowski is the first Republican senator to voice opposition to the bill, which has garnered support from President Donald Trump and a majority of GOP senators.

The SAVE ACT, which has already passed in the House, requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, when registering to vote in federal elections. It amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 by mandating that states verify citizenship in person and prohibits registration without such documentation.

The bill also directs states to establish alternative processes for applicants lacking standard documents and enhances voter list maintenance to remove noncitizens.

If enacted, the SAVE Act would standardize citizenship verification across states for federal elections in order to crack down on noncitizen voting. States would need to update registration systems immediately upon enactment, without additional federal funding, potentially requiring adjustments to online, mail-in, and drive-through registration processes.

In order to bypass the filibuster, which typically demands 60 votes for cloture, Senate Republicans are considering a revival of the “standing filibuster.” This seldom-used, older procedure requires opponents to actively hold the floor through continuous debate, rather than the modern “zombie filibuster” that allows legislation to be blocked without any action.

If implemented, the bill could pass with a simple majority of 51 votes, which would include the vice president’s tiebreaker if needed.

President Donald Trump has called on Senate Republicans to deploy the maneuver in order to pass the bill, though Senate Majority Leader John Thune has expressed doubt over whether there will be enough time to do so. It is also unclear whether Republicans will have the required number of votes, as 11 Republican senators have yet to voice support for the bill.

This includes several Trump critics, such as Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA).

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