President Donald Trump is demanding that Senate Republicans pass the SAVE America Act, a voter I.D. bill, before he will sign any other legislation. This includes a pending bipartisan housing bill. Trump reportedly told House Speaker Mike Johnson last week that housing was not a priority.
On Saturday, CNN’s Omar Jimenez interviewed Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) about his support for this strategy. Donalds is one of 25 Republicans who signed a letter pledging to vote against any Senate bills until the SAVE Act is passed, which included a “no” vote on the housing bill.
Jimenez pressed the congressman on the decision. “I just wonder, is the SAVE Act worth putting aside something designed to directly help the American people when so many people are hurting right now?” Jimenez asked.
Donalds defended the push for the SAVE Act by pointing to strong public backing for election security measures.
“If you look at the polling, the overwhelming majority of the American people, 80% — whether they are an independent voter, a Democrat, or a Republican voter — they want voter I.D. in federal elections. I mean, this is just common sense,” Donalds said.
He then criticized Democratic lawmakers for opposing the requirement. “The only people who don’t want to see it happen are congressional Democrats, because congressional Democrats do not want to make sure that we are protecting the franchise of voting for the American people,” Donalds added. “Quite frankly, I think that’s sick.”
Jimenez countered by emphasizing the bipartisan nature of the housing legislation and questioning the necessity of the SAVE Act.
“The problem that that’s sort of working to solve or working to make better in your eyes — we don’t have evidence of widespread voter fraud proven through the courts,” Jimenez argued. “We have evidence that people are struggling to buy homes in this country and are struggling to make ends meet.”
Donalds shifted the focus to his home state, praising state-level efforts to secure elections.
“I have to give credit to Gov. [Ron] DeSantis (R) in the Florida legislature, because Florida has passed its version of the SAVE America Act, making sure that if somebody goes to register to vote in our elections, they have to demonstrate proof that they are an American citizen before they even register,” Donalds said. He accused Democratic senators of wanting an “ambivalent, wide-open system where you’re not quite sure.”
Jimenez wrapped up the exchange by noting the primary criticism of strict voter I.D. laws, telling Donalds that some argue the legislation “hurts too many people that might be trying to vote.”
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