Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn is advocating for Senate Republicans to take action to pass the SAVE America Act ahead of the November midterm elections, including removing the 60-vote filibuster if necessary. Cornyn, who has defended keeping the filibuster in place in the past, stated he recognized Republicans may need to act first to remove the filibuster since Democrats are likely to do so if they regain control of the chamber in the future.
In an op-ed for the New York Post, Cornyn described his shifting views on the filibuster and explained why the policy is so important for the passage of Republican legislative priorities.
“If a man takes a swing at you and barely misses, that doesn’t make him a pacifist — it just means he has bad aim,” Cornyn said. “Standing still and giving him a second free swing wouldn’t be wise or honorable; it would be foolish.”
Cornyn described the 2022 effort, led at the time by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to “nuke” the filibuster and enact sweeping left-wing legislation. The action was prevented at the time by Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. In 2024, Sen. Schumer confirmed nuking the filibuster would be a priority if Democrats regain control.
“For many years, I believed that if the US Senate scrapped the filibuster, Texas and our nation would stand to lose more than we would gain,” Cornyn said. “My fellow conservatives and I have proudly used the 60-vote threshold to protect the country from all sorts of bad ideas and dangerous policies. But when the reality on the ground changes, leaders must take stock and adapt.”
Sen. Cornyn acknowledged that the removal of the filibuster may be only a matter of time. “I believe that Democrats, with their votes and statements, have already dealt the filibuster a fatal blow: The Senate rules will change eventually, whether Republicans like it or not,” Cornyn said. “This leaves conservatives with two options. We can either unilaterally disarm, or we can stand and fight.”
Cornyn currently faces a primary battle for the Republican Party nomination to the U.S. Senate in Texas. His opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, has been a strong advocate for the SAVE America Act, calling it “the most important bill the U.S. Senate could ever pass.” President Trump has not yet publicly backed either candidate but has indicated that he plans to endorse soon. Paxton indicated last week that he would consider withdrawing from the primary race if the Senate passes the SAVE America Act.