A shame to steal the elections......

Thune kicks off SAVE showdown

Senators are heading toward a lengthy debate over the GOP’s elections overhaul bill.

Calen Razor

John Thune is preparing to rip off the Band-Aid.

Starting with a procedural vote as soon as Tuesday, the Senate majority leader will kick off what could be two weeks of debate on the elections overhaul known as the SAVE America Act.

The bill is likely doomed thanks to bipartisan opposition and the GOP conference’s desire to protect the filibuster.

With SAVE’s fate all but sealed, the coming days will put Republicans to the test as they at least try to pass what President Donald Trump says should be their “No. 1 priority.”

Adding to the chaos, some of the bill’s most outspoken champions in the House GOP are warning that a failed attempt won’t be enough to keep them satisfied and that they’re ready to block any Senate legislation outside of DHS funding.

Here’s what to expect going forward:

— Losing Republicans on launch: Thune will kick things off as soon as Tuesday with a vote that requires only a simple majority to open debate. At least one Republican — Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina — is planning to oppose the move, but Thune will likely have the votes to proceed. Potential opponents of the bill know it will ultimately be blocked when the Senate moves to end debate — something that will require 60 votes.

Tillis told POLITICO there’s “no path for success.”

“I was a no on the talking filibuster path and this one’s going to produce the same result,” he said.

Other Republicans to watch are Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Murkowski last week declined to say how she would vote and said she needed more clarity on the mechanics of the debate.

— Messier from there: Look for the possibility of further GOP divisions as Republicans prepare amendment votes to expand the bill to include additions called for by Trump — changes that require 60 votes to be approved. The underlying bill would create new citizenship and ID requirements for voting, and the president wants to add provisions to prohibit gender-affirming surgery for children, ban transgender women from participating in women’s sports and restrict mail-in voting.

Look for late nights as well, as Republicans and Democrats keep senators on or near the floor to fend off procedural hijinks on both sides.

“We don’t know what Thune’s going to do yet,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters Sunday. “But we have prepared for every eventuality, and that includes if they do amendments.”

Democrats expect to force a vote on at least one Iran war powers resolution this week, a person granted anonymity to discuss the plan told POLITICO.

Senators foresee the whole SAVE drama taking seven to 10 days, if not longer.

“We’ll see,” Thune said last week.