(Ben Sellers, Headline USA) RINO Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina faced a barrage of backlash from both his colleagues and constituents after declaring his abject refusal to support common-sense election integrity.
It is beyond EMBARRASSING that “Republicans” continue to block the SAVE America Act.
@SenThomTillis, @LisaMurkowski, @SenMcConnell, and @SenatorCollins have not only betrayed their constituents — they are ACCOMPLICES in Democrats’ “Illegals First” agenda.
The people of North… https://t.co/X4W7r5F02E— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) June 5, 2026
“It is beyond EMBARRASSING that ‘Republicans’ continue to block the SAVE America Act,” wrote Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. calling out Tillis and his three fellow obstructionists by name.
“… The people of North Carolina, Alaska, Kentucky, and Maine deserve better,” he added.
On the heels of recent revelations that China had actively worked to meddle in U.S. elections, some North Carolina residents openly wondered if their senator was in cahoots with Xi Jinping.
Is @SenThomTillis working with the Chinese to subvert our elections? https://t.co/xayA33lDN9
— T Bradley (@TBradleyNC) July 17, 2026
Others, however, suspected that Tillis was throwing Americans under the bus to spite President Donald Trump, whose support for the senatorial campaign of former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley forced Tillis to abandon any hopes of reelection in the 2026 midterms.
Tillis declared last week that if the SAVE America Act came up for a vote, even if attached to a must-pass budget reconciliation bill, he would refuse to vote in its favor.
“If I see a reconciliation bill come from the House with another failed attempt to confuse this election, I will use every device I have available to slow down the wheels of government until people cop a clue and do the math,” Tillis said during a Thursday morning rant on the Senate floor, as reported by The Hill.
Applying circular logic, Tillis also claimed that the measure was a “bill of goods” because “We simply don’t have the votes.”
🚨 UPDATE: Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) is being RIPPED for openly declaring on the Senate floor he's going to KlLL the SAVE America Act
A FREAKING TRAITOR!
TILLIS, raging: "I'm against it because people are selling you a bill of goods!"
After President Trump's election integrity… pic.twitter.com/o73P3lC1Zb
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 17, 2026
In fact, one recent round of voting showed that a pared-down version of the bill that focused only on the election-integrity opponents received 50 votes (with the addition of Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.
Although the unexpected death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., meant the loss of one of the bill’s most influential advocates, it is expected that his sister Darline, who was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster to replace him, would vote in line with his past positions.
The 50–50 split would allow Vice President JD Vance to be the tiebreaking vote, meaning that it could theoretically pass through budget reconciliation, although it would be nonbinding for states that could opt out of receiving whatever funds it was tied to.
Proponents of the bill argue that Vance also has the authority as president of the Senate to overrule the Senate parliamentarian, who has proven to be a roadblock in getting the SAVE America Act included in a reconciliation bill.
Another of the lawmakers obstructing the passage of the bill, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, echoed Tillis’s refusal, calling the voter-identification measures “too draconian.”
🚨 JUST IN: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is facing mass calls to be primary challenged after saying "I'M VOTING AGAINST THE SAVE AMERICA ACT" because it's "too draconian, especially for voters in remote parts of Alaska"
Hold on, blocking FRAUD is "draconian?!" 🤯
Murkowski is a… pic.twitter.com/eSUP6FcOQW
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 18, 2026
But unlike the retiring Tillis, Murkowski could face political fallout if she opts to run again for her seat in 2028.
Conservative activist Scott Presler indicated that he would support primary challenges for the Republican Senate leaders who failed to rally the votes, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. and James Lankford, R-Okla., who is vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference.
“If Senate Majority Leader Thune DOES not do his job to caucus his Republican majority to pass the SAVE America Act, he will have a Texas-sized primary in 2028,” Presler said, making reference to the recent defeat of RINO Sen. John Cornyn in his Texas primary.
I promise to help defeat ANY Republican Senator that blocks the SAVE America Act.
If Senate Majority Leader Thune DOES not do his job to caucus his Republican majority to pass the SAVE America Act,
he will have a Texas-sized primary in 2028.
— ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) July 17, 2026
Ben Sellers is a freelance writer and former editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/realbensellers.
