Election integrity was the focus on Chicago’s Morning Answer as Tea Party Patriots co-founder Jenny Beth Martin joined Dan Proft to discuss the organization’s latest campaign. The group has launched its “Only Citizens Vote” bus tour to build momentum for the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a bill that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
Currently, registering to vote under the federal motor voter law requires only that applicants check a box affirming citizenship. Martin argued that this system is inadequate, saying the SAVE Act closes a loophole that could allow noncitizens to vote despite federal law already prohibiting it. The bill has twice passed the House of Representatives, but has not yet moved forward in the Senate.
Tea Party Patriots are urging lawmakers to attach the SAVE Act to must-pass spending legislation in September, which Martin believes could overcome a Senate filibuster. “Elected officials do everything they can to avoid a government shutdown,” she explained, suggesting that linking the bill to appropriations would force bipartisan action.
The tour stops in Illinois on September 2 with a rally at Crescent Park in Orland Park. Organizers hope that public pressure will make the measure politically difficult for senators in competitive states to oppose. Polling indicates strong support for requiring proof of citizenship, with surveys showing nearly nine in ten Americans favor the policy.
Martin also reflected on the broader Tea Party movement, which began 15 years ago in opposition to federal bailouts and the Affordable Care Act. She noted that many of the group’s original priorities—limiting government spending and defending constitutional constraints—continue to shape their activism today. “Change in America takes time,” she said, “but our system is designed to protect freedom and prevent chaos.”
The Tea Party Patriots see the SAVE Act as a natural extension of that mission, positioning the fight over voter eligibility as a central issue heading into the 2024 election season.