Susan Collins Flips Vote, Giving GOP Path Forward on SAVE Act

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) flipped her vote during a late-night Senate “vote-a-rama” on June 8-9, providing Republicans with a critical 50th vote for the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, according to Fox News. The legislation, a top priority of President Donald Trump, would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration and photo ID at polling places nationwide.

Background

The SAVE America Act has been a central battleground in the Senate for months. The bill passed the House of Representatives in 2025 but stalled in the upper chamber, where it faces the 60-vote filibuster threshold. On June 4, the measure failed by a 48-50 vote, with Collins joining three other Republicans — Sens. Lisa Murkowski (AK), Mitch McConnell (KY), and Thom Tillis (NC) — and all Democrats in opposition.

The Vote Flip

During the marathon vote-a-rama on the GOP’s $70 billion immigration enforcement package, Republicans attempted twice to attach the SAVE Act to the broader bill. Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) modified version, which included additional policy riders such as barring men from women’s sports, failed when the same four Republicans voted against it.

However, Sen. Mike Lee’s (R-UT) version — the original House-passed bill — succeeded in reaching 50 votes, with Collins flipping her position. With Vice President JD Vance available as a tie-breaking 51st vote, the legislation cleared a symbolic but significant procedural hurdle.

“That means that but for the Zombie Filibuster, the House-passed SAVE America Act would now be on its way to the White House for President Trump’s signature,” Lee said on X, as reported by Fox News.

Collins’ Conditions

Collins had previously expressed reservations about earlier versions of the bill. In February, she announced her support for the House-passed version but with a critical condition: she would not support eliminating the Senate filibuster, as Fox News reported.

“I support the version of the SAVE America Act that recently passed the House,” Collins said in a statement. “The law is clear that in this country only American citizens are eligible to vote in federal elections.”

According to The Gateway Pundit, Collins noted that an earlier version requiring voters to produce passports or birth certificates on election day — rather than a state-issued ID — was a non-starter. “That provision is no longer in the bill and dropping this requirement was key to getting my support,” she said.

On the filibuster, Collins was unequivocal: “I oppose eliminating the legislative filibuster. The filibuster is an important protection for the rights of the minority party that requires Senators to work together in the best interest of the country.”

The Filibuster Hurdle

Despite the symbolic victory of reaching 50 votes, the SAVE Act remains blocked by the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold. Republicans face several pathways forward, none of which have unified GOP support:

• Talking filibuster: Restoring the old-style standing filibuster requiring continuous debate, supported by Lee but opposed by Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), who fears weeks of floor paralysis.
• Nuking the filibuster: Eliminating the 60-vote threshold entirely, opposed by Collins, Thune, and several other Republicans.
• Firing the parliamentarian: Trump has called for removing Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth Macdonough, who ruled the SAVE Act couldn’t pass via budget reconciliation. Thune has resisted.

“That’s not a new request, as you all know, and as is typically the case, the parliamentarian, the rulings break both ways,” Thune said. “We lose a few, we win a few.”

Broader Context

The SAVE Act debate unfolds against a backdrop of strong public support for voter ID requirements. A Federalist poll published June 8 found 76% of Ohio voters support enshrining photo ID in the state constitution, and Ohio’s state Senate has advanced a constitutional amendment to do just that.

For Collins, the vote carries personal political stakes. She is seeking her sixth term in the 2026 Maine Senate race, facing a challenge from Democrat Graham Platner, backed by Senator Bernie Sanders. Collins has a history of breaking with her party on key votes, making her support for the SAVE Act a significant development that could influence her reelection campaign.

What’s Next

The bill’s path forward remains uncertain. Thune has not committed to scheduling a floor vote knowing the bill lacks 60 votes. Trump has threatened executive action to implement voter ID requirements himself, though the legal authority for such a move is unclear.

Lee and conservative allies continue to push for a talking filibuster strategy, arguing that forcing Democrats to hold the floor and debate would build public pressure. Whether they can convince Thune and enough Republicans to take that risk remains the central question as the SAVE Act’s fate hangs in the balance.