Sen. John Cornyn urged Republicans to reconsider the Senate filibuster to try to pass the Trump-backed SAVE Act, a move that prompted fierce criticism from former Sen. Joe Manchin. Manchin called Cornyn's reversal "deeply disappointing," noting Cornyn previously praised the 60-vote threshold and thanked Manchin for defending it. Cornyn defended his shift as a response to changing political realities and denied seeking Trump's endorsement. Senate GOP leaders say strong opposition to eliminating the filibuster remains within the conference.
Manchin Rebukes Cornyn After Filibuster Reversal, Calls Move "Deeply Disappointing"
Former Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., sharply criticized Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, over his reversal on the Senate filibuster Thursday.(Getty Images)
Sen. John Cornyn's recent call for Republicans to reconsider the Senate filibuster to advance the Trump-backed SAVE Act has drawn sharp criticism from former Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), who accused the Texas Republican of reversing a long-held position for political reasons.
Background: Cornyn, who is competing in a runoff to secure a fifth Senate term, published an op-ed urging Republicans to weigh scrapping the 60-vote cloture threshold to allow passage of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. The bill faces unified Democratic opposition, and under current Senate rules most legislation requires 60 votes to end debate and proceed to a final vote.
Cornyn is running in a two-man primary race against state Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Manchin: "When I was a U.S. Senator, there was not another person more committed to keeping the filibuster than Senator John Cornyn. He understood the incredible political pressure I faced from my former party to get rid of the filibuster and give Democrats complete power — and at the time, he understood why neither party should take our country past this point of no return."
Manchin, who supplied a decisive vote in early 2022 alongside then-Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and Republicans to block a Democratic effort to eliminate the filibuster and pass voting-rights legislation, called Cornyn's turnaround "deeply disappointing." He warned that elevating short-term partisan advantage over institutional norms fuels public cynicism about the two-party system.
Cornyn: "For many years, I believed that if the U.S. Senate scrapped the filibuster, Texas and our nation would stand to lose more than we would gain. But when the reality on the ground changes, leaders must take stock and adapt."
Cornyn denied that his shift was intended to win former President Donald Trump's endorsement. He argued the political circumstances are different now, saying Democrats "will not negotiate or consider anything that President Trump or Republicans want," and that Republicans should "fight back."
Congressional Republicans, President Donald Trump and the GOP base want voter ID turned into law, but one barrier stands in the way: the political reality of the Senate.
Senate Republican leaders signaled that deep resistance to eliminating the filibuster remains. Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) emphasized that Cornyn is one of many Republican senators and that strong opposition to "nuking" the filibuster persists within the conference.
Manchin continued to defend the filibuster in retirement, describing the 60-vote rule as "the soul of the Senate" that moderates extremes, protects minority voices, and requires consensus for major changes. Republicans have also cited the filibuster as a barrier to Democratic proposals such as D.C. statehood or broad changes to the Supreme Court.
Fox News Digital reached out to Cornyn's office for comment.
Help us improve.
