Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a two-term Republican and once a likely contender in one of 2026’s most competitive Senate races, announced Sunday that he will not seek re-election—just a day after being publicly slammed by former President Donald Trump.
Tillis had been walking a political tightrope, trying to maintain support in his purple state while occasionally breaking from Trump. That balancing act collapsed over the weekend after Trump blasted him for voting against advancing his “big, beautiful bill,” a major GOP legislative package.
“In recent years, it’s become clear that leaders willing to work across the aisle and think independently are becoming an endangered species,” Tillis said in a statement. He added that choosing between another six years in the “political theater and gridlock of Washington” or spending time with family was “not a hard choice.”
Behind the scenes, the 64-year-old senator had already been leaning toward retirement. According to a source close to the matter, Tillis was weighing whether GOP leadership would support his independence and whether Trump would give him space to run on his terms. The answer to both, he concluded, was no.
His decision came just hours after Trump escalated his attacks, calling Tillis a “talker and complainer, NOT A DOER!” on Truth Social. Trump celebrated the announcement, calling it “Great News.”
Tillis’ opposition to the Senate’s flagship GOP bill—including its handling of Medicaid and clean energy tax credits—had put him at odds with Trump. He warned colleagues during a recent Senate lunch that the bill’s provisions would cost him his seat, especially if former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper entered the race. Tillis ultimately joined Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) in voting against opening debate on the bill.
A Friday call from Trump, urging him to change his vote, failed to sway him.
By Saturday, Trump signaled support for a primary challenge, saying “numerous people” had already come forward. That pressure, along with lackluster support from GOP leadership, prompted Tillis to move up his retirement timeline.
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the GOP whip, confirmed Tillis gave him a heads-up. “He’s been thinking about this for a while,” Thune said. “He just finally decided it was best for him and his family.”
Tillis had long been a rare Republican voice willing to break ranks. He supported bipartisan bills under President Biden, including infrastructure and modest gun reform, and raised early concerns about several Trump administration nominees. But his moderate positions—and his reluctance to fully align with Trump—became liabilities within today’s GOP.
His retirement now opens the door to what’s expected to be a heated and crowded Republican primary in North Carolina.
Among the potential contenders: Rep. Pat Harrigan, a Trump ally, and Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, who is reportedly weighing a run.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, expressed confidence that the GOP would hold the seat: “That streak will continue in 2026 when North Carolinians elect a conservative leader committed to opportunity, prosperity, and security.”
Democrats see the vacancy as a prime opportunity. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee immediately declared the seat flippable. Former Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) is already running, and all eyes are on Roy Cooper, the popular outgoing governor, who is expected to decide by summer whether to enter the race.
