Susan Collins embraces SAVE America Act as GOP bets voter ID law is winner with electorate

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and other GOP incumbents in tough reelection races this year are leaning into the SAVE America Act, a voter ID bill that’s widely popular in the polls but continues to face strong resistance from Democratic lawmakers.

Ms. Collins recently jumped on the bandwagon, saying she supports the House-approved plan but won’t vote to eliminate the Senate filibuster to pass it. That puts her squarely in the middle of the debate and sets her apart from the two Maine Democrats — Gov. Janet Mills and Graham Platner — seeking to send her packing in the fall midterms.

“The law and the Constitution are clear – citizens of other countries should not be voting in American elections,” Ms. Collins said in a fundraising email blast. “The radical Left is in a total frenzy.”

She told the Maine Wire that requiring people to provide an ID at the polls — much like they do when boarding an airplane or buying booze — is “a simple reform that will improve the security of our federal elections and will help give people more confidence in the results.”

The GOP has made the SAVE America Act a priority, arguing it is needed to prevent fraud and safeguard democracy ahead of the midterm elections, where Republicans will be defending their slim House majority.

Last week, the bill passed the GOP‑controlled House with unanimous support from Republicans, including many running in competitive re‑election races, and just one Democrat voting in favor. In the Senate, the legislation faces a much steeper climb to clear the 60‑vote filibuster threshold.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has broken with fellow Republicans on the bill, warning it is a one‑size‑fits‑all solution and a step toward nationalizing elections.

Ms. Murkowski and Ms. Collins often find themselves on the same page, but not this go‑round. Ms. Murkowski is not up for re‑election, while Ms. Collins is pursuing a sixth term and is the most vulnerable Senate Republican this cycle.

Republican Sens. John Cornyn — who faces a challenge from his right flank in the Texas primary — and Jon Husted – who is running against former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in an intriguing Ohio race – also back the bill.

They are joined by several GOP Senate hopefuls, including former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley, who is running to replace retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis in North Carolina. In Georgia, Reps. Buddy Carter and Mike Collins both voted for the bill as they vie for the chance to run against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, who, in lock step with his party, opposes voter ID laws.

Democrats warn that requiring a photo ID at the polls and proof of citizenship to register to vote would disenfranchise millions of voters, particularly minorities, women and low‑income Americans.

Back in Maine, Democrats knocked Ms. Collins for embracing the plan.

Ms. Mills said the incumbent “caved” to President Trump and “is supporting efforts to rig the rules and silence voters.”

“Maine has one of the highest voter participation rates nationwide — and as senator, I’ll fight like hell to protect your right to vote from attacks on our democracy,” she said.

Mr. Platner went even further, saying Ms. Collins’s stance smacks of desperation.

“Susan Collins is painfully aware that voter suppression is her only chance to stay in office,” he wrote on X.

The push for stronger voter ID laws garners significant public sentiment.

Pew Research found that 83% of Americans supported requiring all voters to show a government‑issued photo ID, including  82% of Hispanic voters, 76% of Black voters and 71% of registered Democrats supporting it.

Gallup polling from the run‑up to the 2024 election similarly found that more than 80% of Americans supported requiring photo identification to vote and providing proof of citizenship when registering for the first time.

Proponents of federal voter ID laws argue that they increase public confidence in elections and prevent fraud, such as double voting, voter impersonation and noncitizen voting. Democrats insist it is a scheme to disenfranchise minority voters.

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, has repeatedly called the SAVE Act “Jim Crow 2.0.”

“It’s an outrageous proposal that shows the sort of political bias of the MAGA right,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union”. “They don’t want poor people to vote. They don’t want people of color to vote, because they often don’t vote for them.”