U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican who has represented North Carolina in Washington for a decade and has clashed with President Donald Trump as recently as Saturday, announced Sunday he will not seek reelection.
The Huntersville resident, a former speaker of the state House of Representatives, was first elected to the Senate in 2014.
In a Sunday statement, Tillis said he had not “been excited about running for another term.”
“That is true since the choice is between spending another six years navigating the political theater and partisan gridlock in Washington or spending that time with the love of my life Susan, our two children, three beautiful grandchildren, and the rest of our extended family back home,” Tillis said. “It’s not a hard choice, and I will not be seeking reelection.”
Tillis’ announcement came a day after he said he would not vote in favor of the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” the sweeping budget package that would enact much of Trump’s agenda. He cited the bill’s expected impacts on Medicaid and rural hospitals as key reasons for his decision.
Trump then attacked Tillis on social media and said he would explore supporting another candidate in the Republican primary for Tillis’ Senate seat.
‘One of the most vulnerable Senate Republicans’
Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, told The News & Observer this week that Tillis is “one of the most vulnerable Senate Republicans.”
North Carolina Democrat Wiley Nickel, who formerly served in the U.S. House and is running for the Democratic nomination for Tillis’ seat in 2026, said Sunday he would be prepared to run against any Republican in the race.
“No matter which MAGA loyalist Donald Trump hand-picks to run in North Carolina, I’m the Democrat who’s ready to take them on and win,” Nickel said.
Top Democrats have said they would like to see former Gov. Roy Cooper run for the seat. He has not announced any plans to do so.
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