Senate Majority Leader John Thune posted a self-congratulatory message Tuesday night claiming Republicans spent the past two years delivering “more money in your pocket,” “safer streets,” and “more opportunities to get ahead.” The response from voters was swift and withering.
By Wednesday morning, Thune’s post had collected roughly 1,400 likes and more than 10,500 replies, a ratio that amounted to a public rebuke. An X Community Note was also attached to the post, stating that the 119th Congress was “the least productive in history” and that House Speaker Mike Johnson had canceled 63 scheduled voting days, giving members an extra two months without floor votes.
The Senate’s Legislative Record Under Thune
The raw numbers add weight to the criticism. According to the Congressional Record’s Résumé of Congressional Activity covering January 3 through August 31, 2026, the House passed 291 bills. The Senate passed only 20 of them, leaving roughly 271 House-passed bills stalled without a Senate floor vote, according to John Thune Senate criticism.
Critics in the replies repeatedly pointed to the SAVE Act, legislation that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, as the clearest example of Senate inaction on election security. Users noted the bill never received a Senate floor vote under Thune’s leadership.
Scott Presler’s Reply Outpaces Thune’s Original Post
Grassroots organizer Scott Presler delivered the most viral counter-punch. His reply had accumulated more than 12,700 likes by Wednesday, nearly ten times the engagement on Thune’s original message.
“You have spent the last 2 years doing nothing to secure our elections after Republican voters delivered the popular vote and all 3 branches of gov’t,” Presler wrote. Even DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said, ‘We have 300,000 [non-citizen registered voters] we’re looking into.’ The question millions of Americans have is why don’t you care about us?”
Retired homicide detective Hunter Eagleman also replied directly: “You literally haven’t don’t shit. Our elections are still NOT secured. 40 MILLION still going to the Taliban. You’ve spent 8 weeks this year on vacation.” Michael Flynn Jr. added, “Are u fckn kidding? Election security anyone?”
What Comes Next for Thune and the Senate Agenda
The backlash reflects a broader tension inside the Republican coalition heading into the next election cycle. Voters who handed the party the White House, the House, and the Senate are pointing to election integrity measures, including proof-of-citizenship registration requirements and voter ID laws, as the benchmark by which they will judge congressional leadership.
Several replies warned Thune directly that his Senate seat is at risk in 2028 if the legislative record does not change. With no House votes scheduled until after the current election period and the Senate bottleneck showing no signs of clearing, pressure on Thune from the America First wing of his own party is unlikely to ease.
