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On Monday, February 16, 2026, Rep. Byron Donalds told Ed Henry on The Big Take that Democrats have painted themselves into an ultra left-wing box by opposing common-sense voter ID and resisting the SAVE Act, and he didn’t mince words about what that opposition really signals to everyday Americans. He spoke plainly to hardworking voters who just want honest elections, reminding them that political elites who lecture about fairness are often the ones protecting broken systems that benefit special interests.
Donalds made clear he would back a presidential executive order requiring voter ID for federal elections and said he’d welcome President Trump stepping in if Congress fails to act, while acknowledging such an order would almost certainly face legal tests. That’s the kind of tough-minded, practical solution conservatives admire — act to defend election integrity now while letting the courts sort the legal questions in due course.
He also tore into the double standard from the left: Democrats demand ID to buy a gun or board a plane but suddenly howl when asked to produce an ID to cast a ballot, and Donalds pointed to states like Minnesota and Oregon as examples of policies that invite chaos. If Democrats truly cared about enfranchising Americans, they wouldn’t oppose measures that ensure only eligible citizens vote — instead their objections reveal political calculations, not principle.
The SAVE Act — H.R.22 — which would require proof of U.S. citizenship for federal voting registration, passed the House last year but has stalled in the Senate, leaving a yawning enforcement gap that Republicans rightly decry. Conservatives aren’t demanding barriers to the ballot box; we demand verifiable ballots, because treating every ballot as evidence is common sense, not paranoia.
When Democrats scream “racist” or compare common-sense reforms to Jim Crow, they’re weaponizing rhetoric to dodge accountability, and Senator Chuck Schumer’s dismissals won’t satisfy voters who want elections they can trust. Donalds’ blunt assessment — that the left’s fear-mongering masks policy choices that would make elections less secure — resonates with Americans tired of excuses and double standards.
If Republicans are serious about defending the franchise for lawful citizens, they should rally behind leaders like Donalds and support pragmatic steps — from federal fixes like the SAVE Act to executive action if necessary — rather than cede the narrative to a left that prefers chaos over clean elections. It’s time for conservatives to stop apologizing and start fighting for the integrity of the institutions that keep our republic functioning for future generations.
