Senate Republicans tried to cave on Trump's agenda



White House official James Blair telling House Republicans to stop talking about mass deportations was the noise. Senate Republicans cowing to Democrats and putting Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding in serious jeopardy was the signal. No one should be surprised that weak-kneed Republicans took their cue from the White House's wishy-washy stances on the topic.

Too many elected Republicans actually want the opposite of mass deportation, and the White House gave them the political space to do just that.

There is no massive corporate or mega-donor coalition rallying behind the cause of national sovereignty, but there most certainly is one bankrolling the cause of cheap labor.

What the Senate did in the dead of night last week was a grievous mask-dropping moment — equally objectionable in both its form and substance. Senators thought they had cover from the White House to cave to Democrat demands to split off ICE and Customs and Border Protection funding from the larger Department of Homeland Security funding bill.

Whether Republican Senators actually had that blessing from the White House, or whether they were simply reading the tea leaves from months of creeping separation from the mass deportation promise, remains unclear. Nevertheless, in the dead of the night, Republicans threw ICE and CBP under the bus by sending the House a funding bill covering all of DHS except those two agencies.

Senate Democrats immediately declared victory — as they should have — and Senate Republicans headed to the airport. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) would be spotted at Disney World shortly after.

What happened next is when things started getting good. The Trump base, for lack of a better term, freaked out on the internet. By the time House Republicans woke up, they realized they had a massive problem on their hands. The White House saw the writing on the wall as well, abandoned any implicit or explicit support for the Senate bill, and pulled the proverbial rug out from under Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and his colleagues.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced and secured opposition to the package and had the House return a 60-day continuing resolution to the Senate that restored funding levels across the entire Department — including ICE and CBP.

Now we wait. The Senate is on a two-week vacation and has given no indication it will return early to deal with the bill, or that it would even support the House version. The clock ticks, the agencies hang in limbo, and the people who engineered this mess have retreated to their beach houses and theme parks.

RELATED: The SAVE America Act won’t be enough to save the GOP from a midterm bloodbath

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Trump voters who sent the president back to the White House based on his signature promise to "carry out the largest mass deportation in American history" can enjoy a temporary victory. The retreat on the cause had seemed to be in full swing. For a brief moment, the tide appears to have reversed, but a single funding skirmish won is by no means the end of the war.

How can a president who sailed back into the White House on the promise of mass deportations — a cause still supported by the majority of Americans — and armed with a legislative package investing more than $40 billion in that cause, now find himself in a situation where ICE funding is placed in jeopardy?

Mind you, mass deportations haven't even meaningfully begun, with only some 350,000 deportations occurring in 2025 against a backdrop of over 10 million illegal crossings during the Biden years. There are two main reasons for this gap between mandate and execution.

First, a great many elected Republicans are wildly out of step with their own voters. Elections aren't always about winning votes, they're often about winning donations to fund the grift and graft attendant to a system where arguably the most important thing in politics is the size of a war chest.

There is no massive corporate or mega-donor coalition rallying behind the cause of national sovereignty, but there most certainly is one bankrolling the cause of cheap labor. The sensibilities of many elite donors are offended by the very topic of enforcement. They are far more comfortable debating marginal tax rates or trading in lofty foreign policy abstractions than confronting the basic question of who gets to live in this country and on whose terms.

Second, the president, either by perception or by reality, has distanced himself from the campaign promise of mass deportation. That distance has issued a permission slip to those who want to buck the cause. It has given cover to the opportunists, the corporate-minded, and the quietly resistant.

President Trump could clear up that confusion in an instant if he so wished with a single unambiguous statement, a sustained public push, an explicit demand that Congress fall in line.

RELATED: The Democrats unconditionally surrendered the shutdown — the GOP might screw it up anyway

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In the aftermath of the anti-ICE riots in Minneapolis, a senior elected Republican told me that Democrats were going to be unable to resist the temptation to reignite their "defund ICE" plank, just as they overstepped post-BLM with "defund the police." I smiled and nodded and resisted the urge to point out the obvious: that while that was correct, they would have more than a few Republicans along for the ride.

That is the uncomfortable reality that too many Trump supporters have been slow to fully reckon with. The opposition to this agenda does not live only on the left side of the aisle: it lives in Senate Republican conference rooms and in the calculated silences of members who have perfected the art of sounding like conservatives while voting like Democrats. The mask slipped last week, and it is worth keeping it off.

It is important to sustain the momentum and public expectations that this funding fight has dragged to the forefront of the national political conversation. Trump supporters saw the opposition drop its mask, and it had an (R) next to its name.

Many in Thune's caucus have long benefited from only privately opposing key aspects of President Trump's mandate, speaking in the right accent on the right issues just long enough to evade detection. That racket depends entirely on operating in the dark. Keeping the spotlight on is the path forward.

They do not have a viable political option in openly opposing mass deportation, and the moment the base makes that cost explicit, the calculus changes. Make it explicit.

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'voter mobilization will be critical for Republicans'

Senate approves DHS funding — but there's a catch



The Senate has partially funded the Department of Homeland Security following a 42-day stalemate — but there's a catch.

More than six weeks after DHS was first shut down in mid-February, the Senate agreed in the early morning hours on Friday to fund key agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and most notably, the Transportation Security Administration. Although the funding agreement was long overdue, the Senate continues to withhold funds for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.

'Democrats have recklessly created a true National Crisis.'

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) called the supplemental funding "unfortunate," saying it is only prolonging policy disagreements Democrats continue to move their goal posts on.

“The Dems wanted reforms," Thune said. "We tried to work with them on reforms. They ended up getting no reforms, but, you know, we’re going to have to fight some of those battles another day."

The Senate greenlit this funding bill by a voice vote around 2:00 a.m. ET and is now headed into a two-week-long recess. The spending package is now on its way to the House.

RELATED: Heroic ICE agent miraculously saves unresponsive child in TSA line

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This funding was put through just hours after President Donald Trump ordered his new DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to "immediately pay our TSA Agents."

"Because the Democrats have recklessly created a true National Crisis, I am using my authorities under the Law to protect our Great Country, as I always will do!" Trump said in a Truth Social post on Thursday evening. "Therefore, I am going to sign an Order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation, and to quickly stop the Democrat Chaos at the Airports."

RELATED: Trump adds new condition to ICE airport plan in DHS shutdown fight

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"It is not an easy thing to do, but I am going to do it!" Trump added. "I want to thank our hardworking TSA Agents and also, ICE, for the incredible help they have given us at the Airports. I will not allow the Radical Left Democrats to hold our Country hostage any longer."

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Exclusive: Republicans investigate 'obscure' abortion pill companies over alleged illegal sales, safety concerns



Republican senators are launching an investigation into several abortion pill manufacturers to combat the alleged dangers and illegal distribution of these drugs, Blaze News has learned.

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy (La.), who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, is leading the investigation against "obscure" abortion manufacturers like Draco Laboratories, Evita Solutions, and GenBioPro. Cassidy, who is a physician, slammed these manufacturers for allegedly hiding the harmful reality of taking abortion pills and for allegedly failing to act within basic safety parameters imposed by the Food and Drug Administration.

'Women deserve real medical care, not drugs dispensed through anonymous websites.'

"Chemical drugmakers profit off killing innocent children while putting mothers' lives at risk," Cassidy told Blaze News. "These manufacturers and websites have facilitated the explosion in online sales of these harmful drugs without the regard for women's health and safety, while opening the door for coercion and abuse."

"FDA should act within its existing authorities to curb this abuse and immediately reinstate safeguards such as the in-person dispensing requirement."

RELATED: Pro-abortion doctor gets dismantled by Hawley on men and pregnancy: 'I don't know how we can take you seriously'

Cassidy, alongside Republican Sens. Steve Daines of Montana, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, penned inquiries to the three manufacturers requesting all documents, data, and relevant materials detailing the production and use of these abortion drugs. The lawmakers also alerted the FDA about potential violations.

This investigation also gained the support of prominent pro-life activists like President of National Right to Life Carol Tobias, who said the letters "raise serious and long-overdue questions about whether federal protocols are being followed — and whether women are being put at risk as a result."

"Women deserve real medical care, not drugs dispensed through anonymous websites with little to no oversight," Tobias told Blaze News.

"Data show that one in ten women who take abortion pills experience serious complications, yet basic safeguards have been stripped away," Live Action President Lila Rose told Blaze News. "Women and their children are being put at risk."

RELATED: 'Federal dollars should not pay for abortion, period': Sen. Cassidy doubles down on Hyde, abortion pill restrictions

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Activists like Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, also pointed out the alarming rise of abortion drugs in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, potentially putting more women at risk and opening the door for abuse and coercion.

"Abortion numbers are up, not down after Dobbs, driven by mail-order drugs flooding the states without regard for their laws,” Dannenfelser told Blaze News. “We are now at over 1.1 million abortions per year. Companies whose sole source of revenue is abortion drugs — which carry a black box warning — are raking in millions, while their inherently risky, abuse-prone drug sends thousands of women to emergency rooms, enables abusers, systematically kills countless unborn children, and brazenly undermines democratically enacted state protections."

"Their disregard for even the few remaining safety standards — and the lack of transparency around these secretive entities — is deeply troubling," Dannenfelser added. "Chairman Cassidy and fellow pro-life senators are boldly confronting this crisis head-on, demanding real accountability and safety for women and girls. It’s time for the FDA to act.”

Draco Laboratories, Evita Solutions, and GenBioPro did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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Oklahoma governor names political outsider to replace Markwayne Mullin



Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma went outside the world of politics to fill the Senate seat of newly confirmed Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

On Tuesday morning, Stitt tapped energy executive Alan Armstrong following Mullin's Senate confirmation Monday night. Mullin is now set to be sworn in Tuesday afternoon to replace current DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who leaves the department on March 31.

'He's a strong business leader.'

Stitt first praised President Donald Trump in a press conference Tuesday morning, applauding him for selecting Mullin to head the DHS. He also congratulated Mullin before naming Armstrong as his temporary replacement.

"I'm incredibly proud now to announce that my pick as the next U.S. senator of the state of Oklahoma is Mr. Alan Armstrong," Stitt said at the press conference.

RELATED: Trump's new DHS pick sails through Senate confirmation despite lone GOP defection

Stitt referred to Armstrong's extensive career in the energy industry, serving as CEO and president of Williams Companies, a Tulsa-based energy firm. He later stepped down to serve as executive chairman of the board of directors at Williams Companies last year and previously chaired the Department of Energy's National Petroleum Council.

"He's a strong business leader who understands the power of free markets and limited government," Stitt said. "He's spent his career fighting for Oklahoma's energy industry and providing affordable, reliable energy to all of America."

RELATED: Trump adds new condition to ICE airport plan in DHS shutdown fight

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Armstrong will serve the short remainder of Mullin's term, which ends in January 2027.

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Trump's new DHS pick sails through Senate confirmation despite lone GOP defection



Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma has been confirmed by the Senate to head the Department of Homeland Security just weeks after President Donald Trump tapped him for the role.

Trump recruited Mullin to replace current DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in early March after a string of personal and political controversies. Noem will continue to serve in the role until March 31.

Despite Paul's defection, Mullin secured support from some Democrats.

Mullin's nomination sailed through the Senate in a 54-45 vote Monday night with Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky being the lone GOP "no" vote after the two shared a heated exchange during a confirmation hearing.

Paul called out Mullin for allegedly calling a vicious assault against Paul that left him with broken ribs "completely understandable." Mullin in turn said if he had something to say he would just "say it directly to [his] face," arguing that Paul likes to "fight Republicans more than you work with us."

RELATED: Trump adds new condition to ICE airport plan in DHS shutdown fight

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Despite Paul's defection, Mullin secured support from some Democrats. Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico voted with Republicans to confirm Trump's nominee.

It's typical for senators to overwhelmingly confirm a Senate colleague to a Cabinet position despite their political affiliation, so the limited Democrat support potentially indicates how divisive DHS has become. While Mullin was confirmed on a near party-line vote, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a former senator from Florida, was unanimously confirmed by his colleagues back in January 2025 to serve in the Trump administration.

Mullin is now set to take on the task of resolving the partial DHS shutdown that has withheld funding from key agencies like TSA and FEMA since February 14. As a result of the Democrats' partial shutdown, airports across the country are seeing massive security lines and constant flight delays.

RELATED: 'Freaking snake': Trump's new DHS pick faces major roadblock from lone Republican

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Senate Democrats allowed DHS funding to lapse after the shootings of anti-ICE agitators Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Notably, the partial shutdown does not affect the immigration agencies Democrats seek to dismantle. Mullin's Democrat colleagues are also demanding changes to immigration enforcement like deploying body cams and removing face coverings, all of which he will have to negotiate in his new role.

Mullin is now expected to be sworn in at the White House Tuesday afternoon.

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Exclusive: Congress to crack down on 'devastatingly lethal' drugs ravaging America



Republican Rep. August Pfluger of Texas is leading a bipartisan charge to combat the rise of nitazenes, a class of illicit drugs that could be deadlier than fentanyl, Blaze News has learned.

Pfluger introduced the House version of the DETECT Nitazenes Act Thursday alongside Democratic Rep. Eugene Vindman of Virginia. The bipartisan and bicameral legislation would direct resources from the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate and the Drug Enforcement Administration to enhance technologies to detect illicit drugs like nitazenes at extremely low concentrations, according to bill text obtained exclusively by Blaze News.

'These deadly drugs are taking American lives.'

"Nitazenes are an emerging class of illicit drugs that pose a serious threat to Americans' health and safety, yet today, these deadly drugs have not received the level of attention necessary to combat them," Pfluger told Blaze News. "The DETECT Nitazenes Act will close critical gaps in detection capabilities, support law enforcement efforts, and improve public safety outcomes by enabling faster and more accurate identification of these deadly substances."

"As the risk from synthetic drugs continues to evolve, this legislation ensures that we remain prepared to respond to the next generation of deadly narcotics and protect our communities," he continued.

RELATED: Exclusive: SAVE Act hangs in the balance as Republican Study Committee pushes for Senate passage

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Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri, who is leading the companion bill in the Senate, demonstrated just how destructive nitazenes can be, urging Congress to take swift action.

"Nitazenes are powerful synthetic opioids that are stronger than fentanyl, cheaper to produce, and devastatingly lethal," Schmitt told Blaze News. "These deadly drugs are taking American lives, and we must get smart on them before they devastate communities across Missouri and the nation."

RELATED: Exclusive: GOP lawmaker leads push to counter CCP influence in global telecommunications

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Schmitt added, "I was proud to introduce the DETECT Nitazenes Act in the Senate and am encouraged to see my colleagues introduce it in the House. I urge both the House and the Senate to take up this critical bill to help tackle this crisis before nitazenes get out of control."

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Lone Democrat saves Trump's DHS nominee



President Donald Trump's pick to head the Department of Homeland Security advanced through committee Thursday thanks to one Democrat senator.

Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin's nomination advanced through the Senate Homeland Security Committee after Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania crossed party lines and voted in favor of the nominee. Mullin's confirmation was previously in jeopardy after the committee's chairman, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, vowed to vote against the nominee, citing concerns about his "temperament."

'Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us.'

"They've had to have known for weeks that I couldn't be real happy about a guy that won't apologize and thinks that my assault was perfectly understandable," Paul said.

Without Paul's support, Mullin was on the brink of failing the simple majority vote needed to pass through the committee. However, Fetterman joined seven Republicans on the committee to advance Mullin's nomination to the Senate floor.

RELATED: 'Freaking snake': Trump's new DHS pick faces major roadblock from lone Republican

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Paul and Mullin sparred in Wednesday's confirmation hearing after the chairman confronted the nominee over past comments he made about a violent assault Paul survived.

"You have never had the courage to look me in the eye and tell me that the assault was justified," Paul said of Mullin's comments following the 2017 assault that left him with broken ribs. Paul also claimed Mullin referred to him as a "freaking snake."

Mullin pushed back on Paul's claims in his opening statement, saying they addressed their differences when the Oklahoma senator was still in the House.

"I'm very blunt and direct to the point," Mullin said. "And if I have something to say, I'll say it directly to your face."

"Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us," Mullin added.

RELATED: Noem is OUT — and Trump has named her replacement

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Mullin's nomination is now headed to the floor, where the Republican-controlled Senate is expected to confirm him with a simple majority.

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'Freaking snake': Trump's new DHS pick faces major roadblock from lone Republican



The confirmation for President Donald Trump's top choice for the next head of the Department of Homeland Security is off to a rocky start, thanks to one Republican senator.

Trump tapped Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma to replace current DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. While most of Mullin's Senate colleagues have praised Trump's choice, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was not keen on the nominee.

'Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us.'

Paul opened the confirmation hearing Wednesday by challenging Mullin to disavow political violence. Paul was specifically asking Mullin to address alleged past comments in which he said he "completely" understood why Paul's neighbor attacked him in 2017, leaving him with severe injuries including broken ribs.

"You have never had the courage to look me in the eye and tell me that the assault was justified," Paul said of Mullin's comments. Paul also claimed Mullin referred to him as a "freaking snake."

RELATED: Noem is OUT — and Trump has named her replacement

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Mullin addressed Paul's claims, insisting that he and Paul had a conversation about their differences when Mullin was still a member of the House. Mullin also looked directly at Paul and said, "I'm very blunt and direct to the point. And if I have something to say, I'll say it directly to your face."

Mullin then added, "Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us."

Paul later said he would note vote for Mullin's confirmation, saying Mullin's "temperament was not suitable" and that his "anger issues are a problem."

"They’ve had to have known for weeks that I couldn't be real happy about a guy that won't apologize and thinks that my assault was perfectly understandable," Paul said.

A "no" vote from Paul could cost Mullin the confirmation. Mullin first needs to be approved by a simple majority of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which Paul chairs. If senators vote on party lines, just one Republican defection could throw the whole nomination.

RELATED: Trump's unusual Cabinet meeting may reveal which officials are on thin ice

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If Mullin's nomination advances through committee, he will need a simple majority in the Republican-controlled Senate.

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Will Republicans fight for the SAVE Act — or fold again?



Republicans didn’t win the Senate so their leaders could manage expectations. They won it to deliver results. Will Republican leaders actually deliver? We are about to find out with the SAVE America Act.

The legislation requires proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. That is not a fringe idea. It’s the law of the land in nearly every nation in the world — and is one of the most widely supported election reforms in the United States.

Republicans campaigned on restoring integrity to elections. Passing the SAVE America Act should be treated as a blood oath, not a messaging exercise.

A February Harvard CAPS/Harris poll found that 85% of voters say only U.S. citizens should vote in American elections. The same survey found that 71% support the SAVE America Act itself, 81% support voter ID, and 75% support proof-of-citizenship requirements. Perhaps most striking: Roughly 70% of Democrat voters support voter ID.

That’s a consensus. When an issue has that level of support, failure usually isn’t about policy. It’s about will.

Yet Senate Republicans still appear poised to treat the SAVE America Act like a messaging exercise: Debate it for a bit, eventually set up the opportunity for Democrats to kill it rather than having to vote on the bill, shrug, and move on.

That may satisfy the Senate’s procedural instincts, but it won’t satisfy voters. It certainly isn’t how Donald Trump gets a deal done. In “The Art of the Deal,” Trump laid out a strategy he has followed again and again with demonstrable success: seeking leverage, wearing down your opponent, fighting back hard and never folding, exerting time to your advantage, and applying psychological pressure.

Past Senate leaders have understood this method and have used it themselves. In December 2009, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wanted the Affordable Care Act passed before Christmas. Several Democrat senators were balking.

RELATED: ‘Allows ICE to kick tens of billions’ off voter rolls? Schumer’s SAVE Act claims keep getting worse.

Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Reid’s solution was blunt: No one goes home until the votes are there. The Senate stayed in session nearly a month and passed Obamacare on Christmas Eve. Senators whose votes hadn’t been there suddenly discovered ways to support it. Amazing what happens when missing Christmas becomes the alternative.

Senate leaders routinely use endurance and inconvenience as leverage — especially in budget fights. They keep the floor open overnight, run endless amendment votes, and threaten to blow through recess until the holdouts crack.

That kind of determination to change the dynamic when “the votes aren’t there” should not be reserved just for spending bills. The SAVE America Act is exactly the kind of legislation where pressure works and why Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) wants to restore the standing filibuster for this bill to maximize pressure.

The recess threat isn’t just about challenging Democrats’ ideological commitment to unverified voting processes. It’s about the human cost of being physically trapped in Washington while your family, your staff, your donors, your fundraisers, and your district events — as well as your junkets and vacations — are elsewhere. That applies to every senator regardless of how committed they are to blocking the bill.

And over 80% public support for common-sense voter ID creates an entirely different kind of psychological pressure: the daily political exposure of defending an unpopular position.

This would be the application of Trump’s doctrine, which isn’t just about wearing down a monolithic opponent — it’s about identifying and applying pressure to the weakest link.

Remember, Democrats are politically exposed. Democrats must defend two Senate seats this year — including Georgia, where Jon Ossoff faces re-election in a state Trump carried, and Michigan, where Gary Peters’ retirement has created a competitive open seat.

Other Democrat incumbents — from Jeanne Shaheen in New Hampshire to Mark Warner in Virginia — represent states where elections are often decided at the margins. Picture what a real floor fight would look like if Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) were serious about getting the SAVE America Act passed.

RELATED: The SAVE Act is the hill voters will die on

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The SAVE America Act stays on the Senate floor. No artificial deadline. No prearranged surrender through cloture vote. Republican leadership simply says: We are staying here until this bill passes — even if that means canceling spring recess.

Senators like Jon Ossoff — or any Democrat in a competitive state — would be faced with a brutal choice: Keep blocking a bill their own voters support overwhelmingly, while missing weeks of campaigning, or break ranks.

That’s exactly the kind of leverage Trump talks about. Find the pressure points. Apply force where the incentives are weakest. Keep the fight going until the opposition starts looking for the exit. Republicans don’t need to break the entire Democratic caucus. They need seven votes — really six if you think John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is smart and sensible.

Now add one more piece of leverage: Restore the standing filibuster so that obstruction actually carries a cost. The Senate survived that rule for most of its history, and its absence has helped turn the Senate from the world’s greatest deliberative body into the place where legislation dies in darkness.

If Democrats want to block the SAVE America Act, let them talk all night if necessary. Let them explain repeatedly why they oppose proof of citizenship to vote. Go on record with their condescending view that married females are too dim-witted to get new IDs (thank you, Mazie Hirono) and their racist smears that minorities will struggle to get ID (thank you, Chuck Schumer).

The modern “silent filibuster” protects obstruction from accountability. A talking filibuster does the opposite — it puts obstruction on display.

Republicans campaigned on restoring integrity to elections. Passing the SAVE America Act should be treated as a blood oath, not a messaging exercise. Trump would understand that instinctively. The question is whether Senate leadership does, because right now the country isn’t looking for performative politics. It’s looking for resolve and results.

A “hybrid talking filibuster” is a good step, but ultimately what counts is delivering results, and Donald Trump, the dealmaster, shows how to get it done.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published by RealClearPolitics and made available via RealClearWire.