Fetterman on Voter ID Requirements
Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania stated on Tuesday that the recent events in Wisconsin and Georgia indicate that voter ID requirements aren’t “the end of the world.”
The House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act on February 11 by a narrow margin of 216-213, which mandates proof of citizenship for voter registration and a photo ID for voting. This legislation is now heading to the Senate, but its passage faces significant challenges, primarily due to unanimous opposition from Democrats, including Fetterman. During an appearance on “Morning with Maria,” host Maria Bartiromo questioned Fetterman about his party’s stance on the bill.
“There’s quite a bit to unpack regarding this bill, but honestly, it’s not being seriously reviewed right now since we lack a Democratic co-sponsor, which is crucial for overcoming a filibuster,” Fetterman explained. “Historically, all of us Democrats wanted to abolish the filibuster, and now it seems we value it. It’s important to remind people of its significance and to foster dialogue around that.”
“There are certainly aspects of the SAVE Act that present challenges for Democrats, but from my perspective as a Democrat, requiring basic identification to vote is totally reasonable. Recent polling from Pew indicates that 84% of Americans are in favor, and in Wisconsin, a swing state, the voters actually enshrined it into their constitution less than a year ago, passing it with a substantial majority.” Fetterman emphasized.
Fetterman pointed out that the Democratic narrative regarding potential disenfranchisement of Black voters seems unsupported, both among Black voters and within the party itself. CNN data reporter Harry Enten mentioned in a February 3 appearance on “CNN News Central” that there is significant backing for voter ID requirements from both Black voters and Democrats, with at least 70% of both groups endorsing it.
“As a Democrat, I’m not worried,” Fetterman remarked. “Nothing catastrophic is unfolding. What transpired in Wisconsin—and now in Georgia—shows some alignment. Yes, Georgia tends to lean red, but I think we can find common ground here. After the legislation, they managed to elect two Democratic senators.”
In December 2022, Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock won a runoff election against Herschel Walker, securing his re-election for a six-year term following the introduction of the new Election Integrity Act. Similarly, Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin narrowly secured re-election in Wisconsin, which already has a long-standing voter ID law.
Some Republicans are encouraging Democrats to engage in a “dialogue filibuster” to facilitate the passage of the SAVE Act, which would allow the bill to be decided through a direct up-or-down vote, supported by moderate Republican Senator Susan Collins from Maine.
