Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., struggled to explain his opposition to one of the most basic, common sense provisions of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, that is, photo ID to vote, during an interview with ABC News. The exchange proved just how little substance there is behind Democrats’ crusade against the SAVE America Act — and why Republicans must force a floor vote that makes every Democrat senator (and some Republicans) defend that opposition on record.
ABC’s Jonathan Karl asked Warner whether Democrats should support national photo ID requirements for both voting registration and voting itself.
“Now, I understand that you and I think every other Democrat opposed this so-called SAVE America Act. And there’s a lot of reasons that you’ve put forward. But let me ask you very narrowly on the issue of photo ID, requiring photo ID to register to vote,” Karl began. “Is this something that Democrats should get behind?”
Karl then cited data showing Americans on both sides of the aisle overwhelmingly support photo ID to vote. Notably, polling shows documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, which is part of the SAVE America Act, is also popular.
Warner then avoided the question and claimed Virginia has “voter ID and photo ID,” but Karl cut him off.
“That’s actually not the case,” Karl pushed back. “I mean, I’m a Virginia voter. You don’t need to show a photo ID in Virginia. There are a wide range of things you can show for ID, and if you don’t show one of those, you can sign an affidavit saying, attesting –“
Voters are supposed to show identification to vote in Virginia, which can include utility bills, bank statements, paychecks and other items that do not have a photograph of the prospective voter. Voters who lack one of the acceptable forms of identification can sign an ID Confirmation Statement attesting under penalty of perjury that they are who they say they are. Those voters can then cast a regular ballot. Voters who do not provide identification nor sign the affidavit can cast a provisional ballot instead.
“You can sign an affidavit,” Warner said, though Karl pointed out that even an affidavit is not required.
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“Those become ballots that, if you want to contest later, can be contested. But … we have voter ID of one form or another,” Warner said.
“Should that be a national standard?” Karl pressed, with Warren seemingly pausing and unable to answer.
“If you could show any photo that is government tamped would be fine,” Warner said, before arguing some states would allow voters to use an NRA gun license as ID but not a student ID (it is unclear what state Warner is referring to). “If you’re going to have a set of IDs, let’s have it across the board as long as it comes from some official point, but this is not about voter ID. The SAVE Act is about voter disenfranchisement.”
In less than five minutes, an ABC News anchor did more to press — and get on record — a Democrat on his opposition to voter ID than Republican leaders have done as they continue to refuse to force Democrats to defend this very same position on the Senate floor.
The Republican-controlled House has passed the SAVE America Act three times, but the bill has stalled in the Republican controlled Senate, where RINO’s like Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowksi, Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis have expressed opposition to the legislation or voted against procedures to move it along. Senate Majority Leader John Thune further insists that even with all Republican senators on board the legislation fails to attain the votes needed to pass due to the filibuster.
But as Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas explained in a letter first obtained by The Federalist, the Senate can still get the legislation passed without nuking the filibuster so long as they get the handful of RINO defectors in line. If all Republicans who either sponsor or co-sponsor the bill show up and present a live quorum, Democrats would be forced under existing rules to talk non-stop to delay a vote at just 51 votes rather than reach the 60-threshold filibuster. The move would require Republicans to stick together and exhaust the minority through nonstop speaking — and it’s exactly what Republicans should do.
Warner could barely defend his opposition to one of the two most important provisions of the legislation during an interview with friendly media. Imagine Democrats trying to justify — hour after hour — their opposition to photo ID and making sure voters are citizens before voting on the Senate floor. Republicans would have midterm ad gifts galore, a real chance at exposing how Democrats’ position is rooted merely in their hatred for Republicans, and perhaps even, eventually, a simple majority vote to pass the crucial legislation.
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So why wait, GOP?