Author name: LifeZette

A Fox News panel discussed growing public support for voter identification requirements, arguing that election integrity measures remain essential as lawmakers continue debating the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.

Host Harris Faulkner opened the segment by reacting to comments from Democratic strategist James Carville, who recently urged Democrats to stop opposing voter ID requirements.

“Is he okay?” Faulkner asked. She noted that Carville was telling Democrats “to give up the fight over voter ID,” adding that he believes it is “a terrible hill to die on for Democrats.”

Faulkner pointed to new Fox News polling showing broad support for voter identification requirements.

“New Fox polling shows voters overwhelmingly support ID requirements for when you vote,” she said. “Roughly eight in 10 said photo ID should be required to prove U.S. citizenship before registering to vote or casting a ballot.”

She also highlighted scrutiny surrounding Sen. Rick Blumenthal after records allegedly showed an illegal immigrant whose release he had supported was registered to vote in Connecticut.

“The local GOP posted the receipts online,” Faulkner said, explaining that “a request came in from a Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, and a day later, an illegal alien was an active registered voter in West Hartford.”

Faulkner noted that Fox News contacted Blumenthal’s office for comment.

“Fox News reached out to Blumenthal’s office twice for comment,” she said. “We’re still waiting to hear back. I wonder why they’re not jumping at it. Come on, where’s your comment?”

Lara Trump, former co-chair of the Republican National Committee, said election integrity efforts were a major focus during the 2024 election.

“This stuff really matters,” Trump said. “As the former co-chair of the RNC, I will tell you that in 2024 we worked so hard to ensure that we had free, fair, and transparent elections.”

She argued that many voters entered the election with concerns following the 2020 election.

“A lot of voters who leaving 2020 felt very disenfranchised and like their vote wasn’t going to even count if they came out,” Trump said.

Using Bucks County, Pennsylvania, as an example, she said voters who waited several hours deserved confidence that their ballots would be counted.

“They need to know that if you go and wait in line in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where by the way in 2024 you had three and four hour long lines, their vote is actually going to be cast and be counted.”

Trump also rejected claims that voter fraud and mail ballots are not significant concerns.

“For those people out there who try to claim that oh well we don’t really have a lot of voter fraud or the mail ballots aren’t a problem, there are so many problems with them,” she said.

She cited an example involving a deceased cat.

“Cody Timms was a cat who was dead for 12 years and in Georgia received a mail ballot in the 2020 election,” Trump said, adding, “This stuff legitimately matters.”

Trump criticized Democratic lawmakers who oppose the SAVE Act.

“It is so shocking that you have sitting legislators who are all on the Democrat side of the aisle who refuse to pass the Save America Act-it is vital for the future of our country.”

Faulkner jokingly responded, “Your example-I thought you were going to say New Jersey… but you named Cody the cat.”

Trump corrected her, saying, “Cody Thames.”

Faulkner then asked why Democrats continue opposing voter ID requirements.

David Webb argued that confidence in elections is just as important as election outcomes.

“It’s really just about keeping the faith or keeping the lack of faith in the system going,” Webb said.

He added that “the real disenfranchisement is when somebody doesn’t trust the system.”

Webb argued that diminished public confidence discourages participation.

“We already have low voter turnout,” he said, “and if you keep that going and you coalesce your base, you get Mamdani in New York when the opposition doesn’t show up or doesn’t exist.”

Kaylee McGhee said Republicans also bear responsibility if they fail to support election integrity legislation.

“It doesn’t even matter whether Democrats oppose voter ID when we have Republicans on our own side who also refuse to do what needs to be done and pass the Save America Act,” McGhee said.

She argued Democrats benefit from existing election laws in states such as California.

“They benefit from a shady election process,” McGhee said, pointing to “legalized ballot harvesting, mail-in ballots to literally every single person in the state, whether they are legal or illegal.”

She suggested Carville’s comments reflect concern that political dynamics may be changing.

“I think he’s waging a battle because he knows that perhaps these things that have long benefited establishment Democrats are now going to be used by the insurgent left against those very same Democrats.”

Faulkner then asked why McGhee had criticized Republicans.

Trump responded, “Because we have some Republicans who have not voted to pass the Save America Act as well, and I think it’s outrageous.”

She added, “Every person who is elected to our U.S. Congress should want free, fair, and transparent elections,” concluding that “the Republicans really ought to be ashamed of themselves.”

Donna Rotunno said Carville’s comments reflect overwhelming public support for voter ID.

“I think James Carville’s looking at this. This is not a hill to die on,” Rotunno said.

She argued that Americans routinely present identification in everyday life.

“American people know that no matter where you go, you are showing an ID,” she said. “They’re saying, ‘Why wouldn’t I show an ID to go and vote?'”

Rotunno said opposition to voter ID has become increasingly difficult to defend.

“I think that James knows that this is a problem for them,” she said. “Now he’s saying you better pivot on this because this could be a downfall here for the Democrats.”

She concluded by arguing that every legal vote should count.

“Every American’s vote should count,” Rotunno said. “It doesn’t matter if there’s one that is an illegal vote, right? One is too many. We shouldn’t have any.”

Recalling her own experience, Rotunno added, “My own grandmother got a ballot after she died, so forget about Cody the cat. I saw it happen.”

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