'To call balls and strikes': After opposing 'big beautiful bill', Senator Thom Tillis says won't run for reelection; Donald Trump says 'great news'
Photo/Agencies
US Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina announced on Sunday that he will not run for reelection next year. The announcement came a day after he opposed US President
Donald Trump
's tax and spending proposal, which includes cuts to health care programs, and after Trump publicly attacked him for voting "no" to advance his "big, beautiful bill."
Tillis' decision opens up the Senate seat in a state that has often seen close races. It also gives Democrats a chance to gain ground in the 2026 midterm elections. Tillis could now play an unpredictable role in the Republican Party, where few members go against Trump. Trump had already been considering supporting a primary challenger against him and reacted to the news by posting, "Great News!"
It was the latest congressional retirement to underscore the rightward shift of the GOP and the reality that there is little room for any Republican to break with Trump, the New York Times said in a report.
"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 said in a statement.
He said he was proud of his time in public service but admitted that it has been tough for politicians who stand apart from their party.
"I look forward to having the pure freedom to call the balls and strikes as I see fit and representing the great people of North Carolina to the best of my ability," Tillis added.
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Currently, Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate.
Trump criticized Tillis on social media for being one of only two Republican senators who voted on Saturday against moving forward with the large tax bill, dubbed the "big beautiful bill." He accused Tillis of trying to gain attention and said he would campaign against him. Trump also claimed the senator did not do enough to help people in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene caused major flooding.
"Tillis is a talker and complainer, NOT A DOER," Trump wrote.
Tillis gained attention in North Carolina politics when he left his job as an IBM consultant during his second term in the state House. He led the GOP's efforts to win more seats in the 2010 elections. That year, Republicans took control of the state House and Senate for the first time in 140 years.
He later became House speaker and helped pass conservative policies related to taxes, gun laws, business regulations, and abortion.
He also supported a 2012 constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, which passed but was later overturned by the courts.
In 2014, Tillis won a close race against Democratic Senator Kay Hagan, helping Republicans take control of the US Senate. During his time in office, he focused on mental health, Medicaid expansion, substance abuse recovery, and veterans' issues.
Tillis, known for working with Democrats on some topics, sometimes faced criticism from his own party. In 2023, North Carolina Republicans voted to censure him over his positions on immigration and gun policies.
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