{"id":2576593,"date":"2026-03-05T17:16:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T22:16:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/thune-and-gop-establishment-fight-harder-for-worthless-cornyn-than-save-act\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T17:20:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T22:20:23","slug":"thune-and-gop-establishment-fight-harder-for-worthless-cornyn-than-save-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/thune-and-gop-establishment-fight-harder-for-worthless-cornyn-than-save-act\/","title":{"rendered":"Thune Fights Harder For Worthless Cornyn Than SAVE Act"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthune-and-gop-establishment-fight-harder-for-worthless-cornyn-than-save-act%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2576593&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The piece argues that while a Trump endorsement of Sen. John Cornyn in texas might anger MAGA voters, the deeper conflict is within the GOP leadership, especially Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who has stalled the SAVE America Act\u2014an election\u2011integrity bill\u2014through procedural maneuvers and what critics call \u201cfailure theater.\u201d It contends Thune\u2019s excuses about Senate bandwidth are a pretext to avoid forcing Democrats to defend or oppose real photo\u2011ID and citizenship requirements, thereby protecting establishment incumbents like Cornyn. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton publicly pressures Trump to back his opponent and even says he would drop out if Senate leadership lifts the filibuster and passes the act, framing the race as a clash between populist reform and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/radical-judges-must-be-impeached-before-a-constitutional-crisis-creates-unprecedented-civil-chaos\/\" title=\"Radical Judges Must Be Impeached Before a Constitutional Crisis Creates Unprecedented Civil Chaos\">establishment protection<\/a>. the article notes Cornyn\u2019s and Thune\u2019s anti\u2011Trump records and cites polls suggesting Paxton could beat the democrat in a potential matchup, challenging the conventional view that cornyn is the best path to keeping Texas red. In sum, the author contends the GOP establishment\u2019s goal is to maintain power to do little, rather than to deliver on the SAVE America Act, leaving the runoff outcome uncertain.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Texans and MAGA voters&rsquo; first instinct if President Donald Trump follows through with his reported endorsement of Sen. John Cornyn in the Texas primary will be anger. The real object of their ire, however, is not Trump but Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who has spent more time campaigning to save another GOP establishment pawn from losing his upper chamber seat than he has saving the country from the clutches of the radical left.<\/p>\n<p>It should not be difficult for a Republican trifecta to <a href=\"https:\/\/heritageaction.com\/press\/new-polling-shows-save-america-act-commands-broad-support-across-battleground-states\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pass popular legislation<\/a> enshrining the GOP&rsquo;s election integrity agenda &mdash; or any other useful <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trumps-baby-bonds-are-clintons-07-handout-in-maga-clothing\/\" title=\"...&#039;s &#039;Baby Bonds&#039; Are Clinton&#039;s &#039;07 Handout In MAGA Clothing\">conservative policy &#038;mdash<\/a>; in law. Doing so would not only insulate Republicans from some of the shenanigans that have plagued elections all across the country, but it would also prove to Americans that members of the red party have earned reelection come November.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, with Thune at the helm, the Senate has repeatedly stalled the SAVE America Act. Despite&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/02\/17\/what-the-wall-street-journal-gets-wrong-about-the-talking-filibuster\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">possessing a procedural option<\/a>&nbsp;that would force Democrats to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/facebooks-oversight-board-slams-big-tech-giant-for-avoiding-its-responsibilities-despite-refusing-to-overturn-trump-ban\/\" title=\"Facebook\u2019s \u2018Oversight Board\u2019 Slams Big Tech Giant For Avoiding \u2018Its Responsibilities,\u2019 Despite Refusing To Overturn ... Ban\">publicly explain<\/a> their opposition to photo ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements in federal elections, Thune resorted to excuses about <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/sahilkapur\/status\/2018773419446456538?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Senate bandwidth<\/a> and practiced failure theater to get out of his responsibility to represent Republican voters.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<div lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<p>This is classic failure theater from Thune. He doesn&rsquo;t want to do the work of forcing Democrats to maintain a real filibuster, so he&rsquo;s just going to file cloture on their zombie filibuster, which will fail. <\/p>\n<p>Then he can immediately move on to what he really cares about: passing&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/O6k1g9CvmG\">https:\/\/t.co\/O6k1g9CvmG<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&mdash; Sean Davis (@seanmdav) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/seanmdav\/status\/2026688675451417037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 25, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Thune has spent more time and effort, it seems, to protect his friend and ally from getting primaried by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton by goading Trump into handing the incumbent an endorsement.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If the establishment fought as hard for the SAVE America Act as they do for a weak incumbent who spent $100 million only to be rejected by nearly 60% of GOP voters, it would already be law. It&rsquo;s sad incumbent protection is more important than advancing President Trump&rsquo;s agenda,&rdquo; Paxton <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/KenPaxtonTX\/status\/2029586266589974739?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">posted on Thursday.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Maybe Paxton is scrambling ahead of what has turned out to be one of the most heated primary-turned-runoffs in the nation and the looming news that Trump could endorse his opponent. Or maybe, just maybe, he&rsquo;s right.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If the president can weigh in, it would make it enormously helpful,&rdquo; Thune&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AndrewDesiderio\/status\/2029219183490220373?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">quipped<\/a> to Punchbowl News on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>Thune was careful to note that he thought Cornyn &ldquo;had a great night,&rdquo; despite failing to secure a majority of Texans&rsquo; votes during Tuesday&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-republican-leader-slams-marjorie-taylor-greene-a-cancer-for-the-republican-party\/\" title=\"Top Republican Leader Slams Marjorie Taylor Greene: A \u2018Cancer For The Republican Party\u2019\">primary election<\/a>. He also hinted that Trump&rsquo;s blessing &ldquo;saves everybody a lot of money,&rdquo; especially since Cornyn <a href=\"https:\/\/punchbowl.news\/article\/campaigns\/big-dollar-rescue-cornyn\/#:~:text=Senate%20Republicans%20are%20planning%20to%20spend%20tens,to%20rescue%20Texas%20GOP%20Sen.%20John%20Cornyn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">(and Senate leadership) <\/a>already poured <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texasmonthly.com\/news-politics\/paxton-cornyn-senate-primary-results\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tens of millions of dollars <\/a>into a race that only guaranteed him a runoff election in May.<\/p>\n<p>Trump has little reason to honor Thune&rsquo;s request to give Cornyn a boost. In addition to tabling the SAVE America Act <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/articles\/2026\/03\/another-new-poll-shows-massive-support-for-save-america-act\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">against Trump and Americans&rsquo; wishes<\/a>, Thune is largely responsible <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/09\/03\/the-biggest-hindrance-to-confirming-trumps-nominees-is-john-thune\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">for stonewalling Trump&rsquo;s nominees<\/a>. Cornyn and Thune both also have an <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/03\/05\/flashback-sen-john-cornyn-claimed-irrelevant-trump-couldnt-win-the-2024-presidential-election\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">anti-Trump track record<\/a> that would raise any MAGA eyebrows.<\/p>\n<p>The enticing narrative repeated by Thune and <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CarolineWren\/status\/2029245789914964456?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">other establishment GOP allies<\/a>, however, is that Cornyn is the sole Republican candidate who has what it takes to beat out the Democrat nominee for U.S. Senate, James Talarico.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s very clear that John Cornyn at the top of the ticket keeps Texas red. Again, Paxton at the top of the ticket, the polling all shows this, puts that seat at risk, and that has implications down-ballot on House races,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/watch\/?v=1487799196354793\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Thune said on Fox News.<\/a><\/p>\n<figure>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<div lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<p>Sen. Cornyn accused President Trump of the same thing the establishment is accusing Paxton of: Not being able to win the general.<\/p>\n<p>The only issue?<\/p>\n<p>In the most recent University of Houston poll on potential matchups, Paxton performs better against Talarico than Cornyn.<\/p>\n<p>Paxton 46&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/xjErSzZKFM\">https:\/\/t.co\/xjErSzZKFM<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6n7njT7pj1\">pic.twitter.com\/6n7njT7pj1<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&mdash; Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AndrewKolvet\/status\/2029290842478031349?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 4, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Even if that&rsquo;s the case, Paxton has promised to &ldquo;consider dropping out of this race if Senate Leadership agrees to lift the filibuster and passes the SAVE America Act.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<div lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<p>The Save America Act is the most important bill the U.S. Senate could ever pass, and I&#8217;m committed to helping President Trump get it done.<\/p>\n<p>I would consider dropping out of this race if Senate Leadership agrees to lift the filibuster and passes the SAVE America Act. <\/p>\n<p>John Cornyn&hellip;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&mdash; Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KenPaxtonTX\/status\/2029607496395239546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 5, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>This ultimatum should be a win-win for Republicans like Thune and Cornyn, who could add a legislative win and an election win to their r&eacute;sum&eacute;s. That is, unless they don&rsquo;t actually want the SAVE America Act to become law. Instead, they want Trump do the dirty work for them by backing Cornyn, which they know would discourage the populist base, and allow them to keep up their &ldquo;our hands are tied on the SAVE Act&rdquo; schtick.<\/p>\n<p>The results of this runoff, and whether Cornyn&rsquo;s challenger will actually participate in the runoff, are uncertain. What is certain, however, is that the establishment GOP members will stop at nothing to keep their power to do nothing.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Jordan Boyd is an <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >award-winning staff writer<\/a> at The Federalist and producer of &ldquo;The Federalist Radio Hour.&rdquo; Her work has also been featured in The Daily Wire, Fox News, and RealClearPolitics. Jordan graduated from Baylor University where she majored in political science and minored in journalism. Follow her on X @jordanboydtx.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Anger from MAGA: Thune blocks reforms, not Trump<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":490,"featured_media":2576594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-2.31.34-PM-scaled-e1772742849918.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546,33651],"tags":[22362,34333,23610,44832],"class_list":["post-2576593","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","category-the-western-journal","tag-cornyn","tag-save-act","tag-thune","tag-us-senate"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-2.31.34-PM-scaled-e1772742849918.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2576593","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/490"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2576593"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2576593\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2576597,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2576593\/revisions\/2576597"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2576594"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2576593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2576593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2576593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}