Texas Senator Does Total Flip-Flop On Filibuster to Try and Win Trump’s Endorsement

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) on Wednesday said he has changed his mind on the Senate filibuster rule, arguing it must be scrapped so Republicans can “stand and fight” against Democrats and get the SAVE Act passed.

Cornyn’s pivot comes at the same time President Donald Trump has been hammering how important the act — which would require citizens have ID to vote in federal elections — is to him; it also comes as Cornyn could use Trump’s endorsement in the Texas Senate election later this year.

Cornyn made his case for changing the filibuster rule in an op-ed for the New York Post.

He said he has felt for years the rule, which requires 60 votes to end debates on legislation, was important — but not as important as the SAVE Act, which he cosponsored. Cornyn said Democrats are now “weaponizing” the filibuster to block legislation most Americans want.

“When the reality on the ground changes, leaders must take stock and adapt,” Cornyn wrote.

He continued:

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.

This leaves conservatives with two options.

We can either unilaterally disarm, or we can stand and fight.

We can let the Democrats keep obstructing today and then smash the rules the first chance they get, or we can act now and use the mandate the American people gave this president and this Congress to secure our elections, protect our homeland and bring back common sense.

Cornyn later said moderate Democrats are “extinct.” He said the party is now fixated on spiting Trump at every turn, rather than passing legislation to help citizens.

“The Democrats’ recklessness and radicalism have changed the landscape,” he said.

Cornyn said he supported whatever measures are necessary to change the rule, including a “talking filibuster” that “removes the obstructionists’ free pass and makes them defend their indefensible views on the Senate floor.”

His op-ed was published on the same morning Trump prodded Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to get the SAVE Act passed, after Thune has complained he does not have enough votes to make it happen.

“He’s gotta be a leader. He’s a leader, he’s gotta get ’em,” Trump said. “It’s the most popular bill I’ve ever seen put before Congress.”

CNN data guru Harry Enten recently reported most Americans support voter ID laws. Enten highlighted a Pew poll that found 71% of Dems and 95% of Republicans support the legislation.

“Normally, you might expect hey, there’d be a big divide by party, with Republicans really for it and Democrats really against it,” Enten said. “But not really here.”

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