Rep. Anna Paulina Luna praised Senate Republican Leader John Thune after he said he plans to bring the SAVE Act to the Senate floor even if it does not have the votes to pass, saying the move would help secure U.S. elections and force Democrats to publicly take a position on voter eligibility.
Luna made the comments after Thune discussed the legislation during an appearance on America’s Newsroom, following President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, where Trump urged Congress to pass the SAVE Act.
In a post on social media, Luna applauded Thune’s strategy, writing that forcing a vote would expose Democratic opposition to the measure. “Leader Thune is going to be the reason why our elections are secured from here on out if he does this! Well done,” Luna wrote, adding, “It’s time to get it done.”
Leader Thune is going to be the reason why our elections are secured from here on out if he does this! Well done @LeaderJohnThune. It’s time to get it done. https://t.co/nBQEmz49Rb
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) February 25, 2026
During the interview, host Ayesha Hasnie asked Thune whether he would still bring the SAVE Act to the Senate floor even if the legislation did not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster, specifically to put Democrats on the record ahead of the midterm elections.
Hasnie cited polling showing strong bipartisan support for voter ID and asked if Thune planned to force a vote despite the bill’s slim chances of passage.
Thune confirmed he intends to proceed with a floor vote once Congress resolves the ongoing government shutdown, saying the issue draws a sharp contrast between the two parties.
“We will make sure that the Democrats are on the record,” Thune said. “It is a stark contrast between Republicans and Democrats about how they want to handle elections in this country, and this is going to put them, I think, in a very difficult position.”
FINALLY ‼️ Senate Leader John Thune announced he is finally forcing a vote on the SAVE America Act
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) February 25, 2026
"We will put the Democrats on the record. We'll get it on the floor, have a vote, we will make sure the Democrats are on the record"
Pass the SAVE Act!!pic.twitter.com/0sXR3DX0w9
Thune also referenced the reaction in the House chamber during Trump’s address when the president called for passage of the SAVE Act.
“The Democrats, even in the chamber last night, having to sit there and try and defend allowing non-citizens to vote in American elections, that is a losing proposition for them,” Thune said.
In his State of the Union address, Trump called on lawmakers to pass the SAVE Act, describing the measure as a common-sense reform to require voter identification and proof of citizenship in federal elections.
Trump argued that voter ID enjoys broad public support, citing polling showing large majorities of Republicans, independents, and Democrats favor requiring valid photo identification to vote. He urged Congress to act quickly, saying the legislation should be taken up “before anything else happens.”
🚨TRUMP: "The reason Democrats don't want voter ID is because they want to cheat. They make up all these excuses. They say its racist, what an imagination they have. They want to cheat, they have cheated, and their policy is so bad the only way they can get elected is to cheat." pic.twitter.com/aZrMUHx66N
— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) February 25, 2026
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, also known as the SAVE Act, has already passed the House and is now pending in the Senate. The bill would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.
The legislation directs states to verify voter eligibility on an ongoing basis, remove noncitizens from voter rolls, and establish alternative processes for applicants to demonstrate citizenship. It also creates penalties for election officials who register voters without proper proof and allows private citizens to bring legal action against officials who violate the law.
Thune suggested the issue could become a major vulnerability for Democrats in upcoming elections if they oppose the measure.
“If I were running as a Democrat in the midterm elections in November, I wouldn’t want to have to defend it,” Thune said.
Luna echoed that assessment, arguing that forcing a vote would clarify party differences on election policy and pressure Democrats to explain their stance to voters.
