DataRepublican strikes again! And, this time, she may have caught Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) in a web of Swamp-y alliances that call into question his seeming inability or unwillingness to get the SAVE America Act passed.
If you're not familiar with DataRepublican, she's the data queen of X – she uses her research and spreadsheet skills to compile dossiers on various political, media, and social media personalities, often uncovering shady alliances and questionable funding sources. She very methodically lays out her case each time in a series of tweets, laying bare the true inner-workings of the political and media ecosystems for all to see.
Before we get to her case against John Thune, let's revisit where we're at with the SAVE America Act, the House-passed legislation that would require voters to show a government-issued ID in order to cast a ballot. It's the bill that has sent countless Democrats to their fainting couches over the thought that women, helpless creatures that they are, would have to update their names upon marriage or other life-altering events.
It's also the bill that is stalled in the Senate. RedState's Bob Hoge covered Thune's refusal to entertain the "talking filibuster" in order to get to the 60 votes necessary to pass the bill:
Many have suggested that we get rid of the filibuster altogether and force up or down votes in the chamber, or reinstating the "talking filibuster" — but Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) threw cold water on that plan:
Thune said Monday that changing the Senate's long-standing filibuster rules to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act is not a realistic option despite a pressure campaign from Trump and some conservative lawmakers.
"Yeah, that's not going to happen," Thune told ABC News when asked whether Republicans might change Senate rules to bypass the 60-vote threshold required for most legislation.
Eighty-three percent of Americans support voter ID, according to a February CNN poll, so it’s beyond frustrating to many that the measure can’t get through the Senate and head to the president’s desk.
President Trump has said he won't sign any bills until the SAVE America Act arrives on his desk, which has led many to wonder what's going on with Majority Leader Thune.
That's where DataRepublican comes in. She has highlighted Thune's quite chummy relationship with media outlet Punchbowl News, which provides the ultimate insider look at the goings-on on Capitol Hill and relies on premium memberships and corporate sponsorships of its newsletters and events as its main revenue sources. Put a pin in that, we'll get to it in just a minute.
SEE ALSO: Senate Majority Leader Thune Is a 'No' on Changing Filibuster Rules As SAVE Act Stalls in Congress
Trump Tells Senate GOP He's Not Signing Any Other Legislation Until SAVE America Act Is Passed
Punchbowl's "senior congressional reporter," Andrew Desiderio, caught people's attention on Monday when he seemed to be running interference for Thune by pushing back on the idea of using the "talking filibuster."
There’s a huge risk in even beginning the process, too (as proponents of the talking filibuster have been calling for).
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) March 10, 2026
Sen. Mike Lee and other conservatives have primed the GOP base to believe it’s possible to sustain a talking filibuster as a way to pass the SAVE America Act.… https://t.co/YPc9Ryd1Wn
DataRepublican started pulling the thread and revealed that Punchbowl News had a history with Thune that seemed to prop up Thune's more establishment positioning as "institutional reality," whereas more conservative Republicans were classed as "base management." Here she is addressing Desiderio:
Your Punchbowl coverage consistently frames Thune's positions as institutional reality and conservative alternatives as base management. Thune "declared" that the talking filibuster is dead. Lee and his allies "captivated Trump's base." Thune "had enough." The SAVE Act push is "a self-inflicted wound." These are not neutral verbs. They are a point of view… and it's Thune's point of view, delivered with a byline.
Hello, Mr. Desiderio,
— DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) March 10, 2026
Punchbowl News sells access to Capitol Hill for corporate clients. Their senior Senate reporter is you, Andrew Desiderio.
Here's how the access works: Punchbowl has a weekly show called "Fly Out Day," taped at the Punchbowl News Townhouse and described on… pic.twitter.com/UVkeUQW62a
As she pulled the thread harder, she discovered that Punchbowl relies on the likes of "PhRMA, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Facebook, JPMorgan, Blackstone, the American Investment Council (private equity lobby), and others" to prop up its revenue. The companies often buy week-long sponsorships of Punchbowl's newsletters, whose subscribers likely include a fair number of K Street lobbyists and others looking to influence Congress.
She, of course, brought the receipts.
Punchbowl, would you also like to comment on how virtually every major sponsor of yours has donated to John Thune for a total of 1.2 million? @AndrewDesiderio , any comments? pic.twitter.com/kRCKnvehrM
— DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) March 10, 2026
It's all quite cozy. DataRepublican describes it like this:
These sponsors need the goodwill of the Senate Majority Leader, who controls which of their legislative priorities come to the floor. Thune controls the floor. Thune sits in Punchbowl's townhouse. You reports Thune's framing as conventional wisdom.
And it looks something like this:
. @PunchbowlNews would you like to comment on this business model I've reversed engineered of how you keep @LeaderJohnThune in line? pic.twitter.com/Wl32OL6WPl
— DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) March 10, 2026
DataRepublican’s thread raises an uncomfortable but very necessary question: Is John Thune fighting for the SAVE America Act, or is he protecting the cozy Swamp ecosystem that keeps people like him comfortable? If Republicans are serious about election integrity, it looks like they're going to have to rise above the "business as usual" model that rules the Capitol and actually fight for the American people.
Pass the SAVE America Act.
