Senate conservatives are increasingly open to tying President Donald Trump's election integrity agenda to a government funding bill, setting up a high-stakes showdown with Democrats that could determine whether Congress avoids a shutdown before the Sept. 30 funding deadline, according to reports.

Several Senate Republicans aligned with Trump are willing to attach the SAVE America Act to a short-term continuing resolution, arguing the legislation is too important to leave behind, The Hill reported Monday.

However, incoming Senate Budget Committee Chair Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said he would support the proposal if it could pass.

"If we could pass it, I'd be in favor of it," he told The Hill.

Johnson acknowledged Democrats likely would oppose the package but said he is willing to consider any legislative path that advances Trump's top election priority.

Trump intensified the debate during his Thursday night primetime address, urging Americans to pressure Congress to pass the SAVE America Act and arguing stronger election safeguards are urgently needed.

The legislation would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and bolster voter ID requirements.

Republican strategist Brian Darling told The Hill that attaching the measure to a government funding bill would force Democrats into a politically difficult position by making them choose between supporting election integrity reforms or risking a shutdown.

Not all Republicans are on board.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., a Trump opponent, warned the proposal could backfire, arguing there is not enough time to implement the reforms before the November election.

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., has instead called for passing a "clean" continuing resolution to keep the government open while Congress finishes its appropriations work.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has already warned that Democrats would oppose any funding bill carrying the SAVE America Act.

Meanwhile, Johnson's growing influence could shape the legislative strategy.

Following the death of South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, Johnson is poised to become chair of the Senate Budget Committee, giving him a key role in advancing another reconciliation package that could include portions of the SAVE America Act, according to Politico.

Johnson said his immediate goal is to unite Republicans behind a workable plan while continuing to push fiscal restraint.

Republicans have also explored using budget reconciliation to advance election security provisions, though Senate rules limit what can be included.

Supporters argue the SAVE America Act enjoys broad public backing.

A Harvard CAPS/Harris poll cited by The Hill found 71% of Americans support the legislation, while 81% favor voter ID requirements.

With just weeks before Congress must act to avert a shutdown, Republican leaders face a difficult balancing act: advancing Trump's election integrity agenda while avoiding the political fallout of another funding standoff.