Wall Street Journal Warns Trump's Favored Voting Bill Won't Save GOP

Conservative editorial board argues SAVE Act could backfire on Republicans in midterms

Mar. 18, 2026 at 12:35am

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The Wall Street Journal's conservative editorial board warned that President Donald Trump's favored SAVE Act, which aims to create a national voter ID law and require proof of citizenship to vote, may not be enough to save the Republican Party from significant losses in the upcoming midterm elections. The board argued the bill's provisions restricting mail-in ballots could backfire on the GOP in states where such voting is already allowed.

Why it matters

The SAVE Act is a key part of Trump's strategy to ensure Republican victories for the next 50 years, but the WSJ editorial board believes the bill's policies could marginally hurt the GOP by antagonizing voters angry at unpopular Republican policies.

The details

The SAVE Act passed the House of Representatives with two main aims: creating a national voter ID law and requiring proof of citizenship to vote. The Senate version expanded the bill's scope to include a provision restricting mail-in ballots. The WSJ editorial board argued that while these policies may help Republicans in some areas, they could backfire in states where mail-in voting is already allowed, potentially costing the GOP votes.

  • The Wall Street Journal editorial was published on March 18, 2026.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president who has lobbied Republicans in Congress to pass the SAVE Act, which he believes will ensure GOP victories for decades.

Wall Street Journal Editorial Board

The conservative editorial board of the Wall Street Journal, which warned that the SAVE Act may not be enough to save Republicans from significant losses in the upcoming midterm elections.

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What they’re saying

“As an election policy, this has real upside. Yet many GOP states let anyone vote absentee. Do Republicans really want to endorse having the federal government overrule the election laws in Florida, Georgia, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Kansas, and more?”

— Wall Street Journal Editorial Board

“But the SAVE America Act wouldn't turn blue states red, and it can't save Republicans from voter anger at unpopular policies. In the MAGA era, the bill could even marginally hurt the GOP.”

— Wall Street Journal Editorial Board

What’s next

The SAVE Act still needs to pass the Senate, where it may face additional opposition from Republicans concerned about its potential impact on their party's electoral prospects.

The takeaway

The Wall Street Journal's conservative editorial board is warning that even Trump's favored SAVE Act may not be enough to save the Republican Party from significant losses in the upcoming midterm elections, as the bill's provisions could backfire and antagonize voters angry at unpopular GOP policies.