{"id":2581871,"date":"2026-03-19T18:06:58","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T22:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/thune-warns-gop-against-counterproductive-filibuster-vote\/"},"modified":"2026-03-19T18:10:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T22:10:32","slug":"thune-warns-gop-against-counterproductive-filibuster-vote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/thune-warns-gop-against-counterproductive-filibuster-vote\/","title":{"rendered":"Thune warns GOP against &#8216;counterproductive&#8217; filibuster vote"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/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-warns-gop-against-counterproductive-filibuster-vote%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=2581871&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>Teh Washington Examiner reports an exclusive interview with Senate Majority Leader John thune in which he opposes holding a vote to end the filibuster in order to pass the SAVE America Act, arguing that such a move would be politically damaging and deepen GOP divisions over President Trump\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-to-expect-as-senate-republicans-launch-save-act-debate\/\" title=\"What to expect as Senate ...s launch SAVE ... debate\">marquee election bill<\/a>. The SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and establish a national standard for photo IDs at the ballot box. Within the Republican Conference, there is a split: roughly half support preserving the filibuster, while others, like Sen. Ron Johnson, push for a vote on ending it to advance the bill. Johnson contends public pressure could eventually end the filibuster, whereas thune prefers focusing on Democrats\u2019 opposition to the legislation rather than intra-GOP fights. Some Republicans have pursued procedural tactics, such as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-rebels-accuse-thune-of-gaslighting-conservatives\/\" title=\"... rebels accuse ... of &#039;gaslighting&#039; conservatives\">mock \u201ctalking filibuster<\/a>,\u201d but leaders acknowledge the 60-vote threshold makes success unlikely. Sen. Mike Lee, the lead co-sponsor of the act, says he is not pushing for a vote to end the filibuster and supports a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >prolonged floor fight strategy<\/a>, though he doesn\u2019t expect unanimous GOP agreement on the issue.  <\/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<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Thune warns Republicans against &lsquo;counterproductive&rsquo; filibuster vote<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2395810\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>EXCLUSIVE &mdash; <\/strong>Senate Majority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-thune\/\">John Thune<\/a> (R-SD) told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> he opposes a vote on eliminating the filibuster, warning that putting Senate Republicans on the record would only stoke GOP divisions over President Donald Trump&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/voter-id\/\">marquee election bill<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think that serves anybody&rsquo;s interest,&rdquo; Thune said in a sitdown interview at his Capitol office, calling the exercise politically damaging to the party.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4497905\/john-thune-no-senate-break-without-dhs-funding\/\">Thune says no Senate break without DHS funding: &#8216;If that&#8217;s what it takes&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4497729\/john-thune-trump-nato-withdrawal-congressional-approval\/\">Thune says Trump &#8216;absolutely&#8217; needs Congress for NATO withdrawal<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4497273\/democratic-claims-save-america-act-sarah-bedford\/\">Democratic claims on SAVE America Act won&#8217;t hold up to &#8216;scrutiny&#8217; before elections: Sarah Bedford<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;I think that trying to create this intra-Republican, intra-family fight or division over an issue that clearly isn&rsquo;t going anywhere seems counterproductive to me, and I&rsquo;d rather focus on the substance of this issue and the differences we have with Democrats about it.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) has repeatedly called for a vote on whether to end the filibuster as the Senate considers the SAVE America Act, a bill that would require proof of citizenship when registering to vote and a national standard for photo IDs at the ballot box.<\/p>\n<p>Senate Republicans widely support that legislation and have sought to place Democrats on defense over it with a rolling marathon of speeches, but ending the filibuster to pass the bill &mdash; a move that would require lowering the 60 votes needed on most legislation to 51 &mdash; has sharply divided the conference and created a rare rift with Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson, who supports ending the filibuster, has not said whether he will force the matter, but he could ask for a vote before debates conclude on the SAVE America Act and has floated a 67-vote threshold to do so. Around half of the Republican conference supports keeping the filibuster intact, according to a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3878248\/where-every-senate-republican-stands-trump-end-filibuster\/\"><em>Washington Examiner<\/em> tally<\/a> from last fall, but Trump has been able to shift that vote count with the help of grassroots pressure over the legislation.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think the days of the minority preventing legislation from passing is over because Democrat voters &mdash; they want their members to end it. Republican voters want us to end it,&rdquo; Johnson said, arguing Democrats will undo the filibuster as soon as they retake power.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In the end, it&rsquo;ll be that public pressure that I think it&rsquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/world-wildlife-fund-alarmists-warn-of-greatest-extinction-of-species-since-the-end-of-the-dinosaur-era\/\" title=\"World Wildlife Fund Alarmists Warn of &#039;Greatest Extinction of Species Since the ... of the Dinosaur Era&#039;\">ll eventually end<\/a> the filibuster, and I&rsquo;d just rather beat them to the punch so we can think pass things like SAVE America, things that are wildly popular,&rdquo; Johnson said.<\/p>\n<p>Thune, for his part, said he would rather focus on Democrats&rsquo; near-universal opposition to the legislation, rather than a GOP dispute over how to pass it. Republicans are pursuing a mock &ldquo;talking filibuster&rdquo; to draw attention to the SAVE America Act, but once debate ends, it is still expected to fail due to the filibuster&rsquo;s 60-vote threshold.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know what that accomplishes, really,&rdquo; Thune said of Johnson&rsquo;s proposal. &ldquo;If it&rsquo;s something he decides he wants to do at some point, by way of an amendment, I guess he probably has that prerogative.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks during a news conference after a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Mariam Zuhaib)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), the lead cosponsor of the SAVE America Act, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> he is not pushing for a vote on the filibuster itself. Instead, he has embraced Thune&rsquo;s strategy of holding the Senate floor for days, even though it is likely to end in defeat.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The fact that some continue to advocate that and advocate for that in the context of this legislation &mdash; it is what it is,&rdquo; Lee said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t expect, necessarily, for every Republican senator, or every Republican, or every member of the public, to approach that issue the same way. I have tended to view the talk of nuking the filibuster as beside the point because it&rsquo;s not a live option.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4495007\/save-america-act-showdown-relished-gop-democrats\/\">SAVE AMERICA ACT SHOWDOWN RELISHED BY GOP AND DEMOCRATS ALIKE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Thune had considered pursuing a genuine talking filibuster, which could allow Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-arizona-state-rep-issues-call-to-withhold-states-electoral-college-votes-to-joe-biden-due-to-significant-evidence-of-fraud\/\" title=\"BREAKING: Arizona State Rep Issues Call to Withhold State&#039;s Electoral College ...s to Joe Biden Due to Significant Evidence of Fraud\">simple majority<\/a> once Democrats give up the floor, but he announced earlier this month that there aren&rsquo;t the GOP votes to pursue that strategy either.<\/p>\n<p>Lee has said that he is still holding out hope that Republicans may change their minds the longer a debate lasts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Paraphrase:<br \/>\nSenate Majority Leader John Thune says he\u2019s against a vote to end the filibuster, arguing it would force Republicans to take a controversial position and could worsen intra-party divisions over Trump\u2019s SAVE America Act. He believes the move would be politically damaging and counterproductive, and that lawmakers should focus on the bill\u2019s substance and their disagreements with Democrats instead. Republican Sen. Ron Johnson has urged voting to end the filibuster to advance the act, possibly with a higher threshold, but the party is divided and Trump has pressured the issue. Thune notes about half of GOP senators want to preserve the filibuster, while Johnson believes public pressure could eventually end it and would rather beat Democrats to popular policies. Sen. Mike Lee, the act\u2019s lead sponsor, says he\u2019s not pushing a vote on the filibuster itself and supports a prolonged floor effort that\u2019s likely to fail, though he keeps open the possibility of amendments. Overall, Thune prefers avoiding a party-on-record confrontation and instead focusing on policy arguments, while others push different tactics to move the bill.<\/p>\n<p>55-character headline:<br \/>\nThune warns GOP against ending filibuster vote<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3204,"featured_media":2581872,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26076734030029.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[10130,6203,23610],"class_list":["post-2581871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-filibuster","tag-gop","tag-thune"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26076734030029.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581871","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\/3204"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2581871"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581871\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2581879,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581871\/revisions\/2581879"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2581872"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2581871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2581871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2581871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}