Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) announced Sunday that he won’t run for reelection in the 2026 midterms. President Donald Trump had warned he may move to primary Tillis after the senator indicated he won’t support the GOP spending package.
In a lengthy statement, the senator said, “In Washington over the last few years, it’s become increasingly evident that leaders who are willing to embrace bipartisanship, compromise, and demonstrate independent thinking are becoming an endangered species.”
Tillis went on to say: “As many of my colleagues have noticed over the last year, and at times even joked about, I haven’t exactly been excited about running for another term. That is true since the choice is between spending another six years navigating the political theatre 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. It’s not a hard choice, and I will not be seeking re-election.”
Tillis, who has been a critic of the Trump-backed spending and budget bill, voted against advancing the package on Saturday night.
After the vote, Trump criticized Tillis in a social media post and signaled he would campaign against the senator during the 2026 midterms.
Democrats have also targeted Tillis’s seat, which he has held for the past 11 years.
On Saturday night, Senate Republicans narrowly cleared a key procedural step as they attempt to advance the package of tax breaks, spending cuts, and bolstered deportation funds by the July 4 deadline. In the end, Tillis and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) joined all Democrats to oppose the motion to proceed.
The 940-page One Big Beautiful Bill Act was released shortly before midnight Friday, and senators are expected to grind through all-night debate and amendments in the days ahead. If the Senate passes it, the bill will go back to the House for a final round of votes before it reaches the White House.
The Epoch Times contacted Tillis’s office for comment on Sunday.
