Latest news with #TillisRetirement
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
With Sen. Thom Tillis retiring, what happens to his $4 million campaign haul?
Over five years, U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis raised more than $5 million toward his reelection campaign, according to Federal Election Commission data. But despite that haul — more than 13,000 individual campaign contributions — the North Carolina Republican announced Sunday he will not seek a third term next year. After his campaign spending, Tillis had just over $4 million in the bank as of March 31. There are strict rules for raising and spending campaign contributions. But If Tillis' reelection campaign ended before it even really started, what will happen to that $4 million? Tillis' campaign has raised money since 2021, when Tillis entered his second term in the U.S. Senate. Tillis' campaign treasurer, Collin McMichael, did not respond to inquiries into how the campaign funds will be spent and distributed now that Tillis plans to retire. Donors can give only up to a maximum amount, $3,500, per election, but can give that amount twice — once for the primary and once for the general election. And Tillis is required under FEC rules to refund all contributions that were meant to go toward the general election, according to Brett Kappel, a campaign finance lawyer. Of Tillis' 13,209 individual campaign contributions, 338 were filed as general election donations. From there, committees can use funds from primary-election donations to pay off debts and 'wind down,' the campaign, Kappel said. Tillis' campaign does not have any outstanding debt listed on its FEC profile. After that, there are five FEC-approved routes campaign committees can take to distribute leftover funds: The campaign can give funds back to the original contributors, although Kappel said this rarely happens; It can contribute to its national party; It can donate to charities or nonprofits, which Kappel said is becoming increasingly common; It can give up to $2,000 to other state or federal candidates per election; And it can contribute up to $5,000 per year to a leadership PAC, which a candidate controls, or an unlimited amount to a super PAC, which unlike traditional PACs can only spend independently of campaigns and cannot directly donate to candidates. There are two scenarios in which the leftover funds could be used to help Tillis continue his political career. He can create a super PAC that can raise money toward a political agenda, or he could re-allocate his Senate campaign's funds to a new campaign for office. If Tillis decides to run for any office in the future — including president — he can keep these funds stashed for that purpose. Campaign committees can shut down once leftover money is gone, but many stay open past the FEC's two-year suggestion for winding down campaigns. 'There are campaign committees of people who retired or lost elections more than a decade ago that still exist,' Kappel said. 'The former members still use [the committees] to make campaign contributions.' As long as the committees keep up with quarterly deadlines to report their totals, Kappel said these funds can sit untouched indefinitely. Candidates are not allowed to make personal use of campaign funds, which is a fineable offense. Zoom's CEO, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and two Olympian rowing brothers involved in the early development of Facebook are among Tillis' biggest campaign contributors, according to FEC filings. Among those who donated the $3,500 maximum to Tillis' would-be primary election are former state representative and former state budget director, Art Pope; former state Rep. Grey Mills; and UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees chair John Preyer. One of North Carolina's richest people, SAS Institute CEO Jim Goodnight, also donated $3,300 to Tillis this year. Tillis's next report is due July 15, covering his fundraising between April and June.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump may look to his daughter-in-law to defend Senate seat in key battleground
President Donald Trump calls Sen. Thom Tillis' announcement that the two-term Republican senator won't see re-election next year in battleground North Carolina "Great News." And with Tillis — who Trump torched this past weekend for not supporting his so-called "big, beautiful" spending and tax cut bill in a key test vote — now out of the picture in the midterms, it's likely the president and his political team will be the kingmakers in the selection of the 2026 GOP nominee in North Carolina. "It's the president's choice. The president and his team will have those conversations," a Republican operative, pointing to Trump's immense sway over the GOP, told Fox News. Tillis Denounces Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill ' Hours After Surprise Retirement Announcement "Does he have great choices? Absolutely," said the strategist, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely. Likely at the top of the list is Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law who served last year, amid the 2024 presidential campaign, as co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC). Read On The Fox News App Trump Reacts To Tillis Not Seeking Re-election, Sends Warning To 'Cost Cutting Republicans' Lara Trump, who grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina, and attended undergraduate studies at North Carolina State University, is married to the president's son, Eric. She stepped down from her post at the RNC late last year and currently hosts "My View with Lara Trump" on the Fox News Channel. The Republican strategist highlighted that Lara Trump "has the name, but beyond that she is a fundraising powerhouse, and she has the discipline to be an incredible candidate and senator if she chooses to." "She's probably the only person who should have 'considering' in the same sentence because she is the president's daughter-in-law and that will be a consideration," the operative added. Four years ago, Lara Trump considered making a bid for an open Senate seat in North Carolina in the 2022 midterm elections. "It would be an incredible thing. It's my home state, a state I love so much, and look, I think we need some strong Republicans in Washington, D.C.," she told Fox News at the time. She ultimately decided against launching a campaign, citing her two young children as the main reason for her decision. But she did leave open the possibility of a future run for office in her home state. Lara and Eric Trump own a home in Florida, and Lara Trump's name was briefly mentioned late last year as a potential successor to Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who was nominated by Trump to serve as Secretary of State in his second administration. "After an incredible amount of thought, contemplation, and encouragement from so many, I have decided to remove my name from consideration for the United States Senate, she said in a statement near the end of December. Another name being floated in North Carolina is RNC Chair Michael Whatley. Whatley served five years as chair of the North Carolina GOP before Trump early last year picked him to succeed Ronna McDaniel as RNC chair. "Chairman Whatley is honored to have been asked by President Trump to serve as Chair of the Republican National Committee following a hugely successful 2025, and is focused on grown Republican majorities in Congress," an RNC adviser told Fox News when asked about the North Carolina Senate race. What Mike Whatley Told Fox News Digital Another name that comes up is Rep. Richard Hudson, who for a second straight cycle is chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Along with Whatley, Hudson, who for over a decade has represented a congressional district in the central section of North Carolina, is a strong Trump ally. A source familiar told Fox News that Hudson "is tight with Trump world, and if they really wanted him to run, he wouldn't tell them no." A trio of first-term Republican congressmen in North Carolina may also have interest in the race to succeed Tillis. Sources confirmed to Fox News that Rep. Pat Harrigan is eyeing a bid. Reps. Tim Moore and Brad Knott may also have interest. And four-term GOP Rep. Murphy may consider a run. Scoop: House Republican Eyes Bid For Thom Tillis Senate Seat After Trump Attack Some national Republicans are relieved that Tillis isn't seeking re-election. Tillis, who has long been an independent thinker who crossed the political aisle to seek compromise, doesn't poll well with the MAGA base. Some Republican operatives familiar with Senate races suggested that the GOP would have an easier time energizing base voters in a smaller midterm electorate with a more conservative candidate than Tillis on the 2026 ballot as the GOP's nominee in North Carolina. And Trump loyalists saw the Tillis announcement as further proof of the president's immense hold over the GOP. Tillis, in a statement, noted that "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." In the race for the Democratic Senate nomination, former Rep. Wiley Nickel, a trial lawyer and former state senator, launched a bid earlier this year. But all eyes are on former two-term Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who is mulling a run. Cooper is viewed as the most formidable and prominent potential Democratic candidate for a seat his party is aiming to flip from red to blue. But no Democrat has won a Senate race in North Carolina since 2008. Hours after Tillis' announcement on Sunday, a top non-partisan political handicapper shifted their rating on the North Carolina Senate race from Lean Republican to Toss Up. "The surprise move from Tillis moves this race into the Toss Up category and officially makes the Tar Heel State Democrats' top pickup opportunity," the Cook Report's Jessica Walter article source: Trump may look to his daughter-in-law to defend Senate seat in key battleground
Washington Post
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
A former governor, a Trump and many others: Tillis retirement sets off NC Senate seat speculation
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis' surprise retirement announcement over the weekend creates a sudden opening in next year's midterm elections, setting off a scramble of successor speculation that includes both a former Democratic governor and a Trump other than the one who ultimately nudged Tillis into leaving.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A former governor, a Trump and many others: Tillis retirement sets off NC Senate seat speculation
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis' surprise retirement announcement over the weekend creates a sudden opening in next year's midterm elections, setting off a scramble of successor speculation that includes both a former Democratic governor and a Trump other than the one who ultimately nudged Tillis into leaving. Tillis' decision, revealed Sunday after President Donald Trump threatened to back a primary candidate against him as Tillis opposed Medicaid reductions in the president's tax break and spending cut package, is leading Republican politicians to size up whether they can lasso the electoral and financial support to compete for the seat. Anyone getting a Trump endorsement is likely to have the inside track for the GOP nomination next March. 'There's a tremendous amount of people who are looking at the position and trying to determine whether they have the fire in belly to run for it," state Rep. John Torbett said on Monday. A Trump endorsement, Torbett added, 'will have a large effect on the electorate.' Democrats waiting on Cooper The absence of an incumbent emboldens national and state Democrats in their bid to flip back the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 advantage. A Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson said Tillis' announcement was 'another blow to Republicans' chances as they face a midterm backlash that puts their majority at risk.' But it's still unclear whether their most high-profile potential candidate — former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper — is going to run. He hasn't publicly revealed his plans, even though former U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel launched his own bid almost three months ago. Cooper left office last December as a popular figure — mentioned briefly as a vice presidential choice for Kamala Harris — who has never lost an election for state office, dating to the mid-1980s. He was elected attorney general four times and is known for his fundraising prowess. Cooper spokesperson Morgan Jackson said Monday that Cooper 'continues to strongly consider a run for the Senate and will decide in the coming weeks.' Nickel's campaign didn't respond Monday to a message seeking comment, but Nickel said Sunday that 'no matter which MAGA loyalist Donald Trump handpicks to run in North Carolina, I'm the Democrat who's ready to take them on and win.' Veteran Democratic consultant Gary Pearce said Tillis' departure makes it imperative that Cooper get in the race: 'We can't let a Trump toady take that seat.' Still, Democrats haven't won a Senate seat in the ninth-largest state since 2008. That includes when Trump, as a former president, publicly endorsed then-U.S. Rep. Ted Budd for the GOP nomination nearly a year before the 2022 primary. Budd defeated former Gov. Pat McCrory in the primary by 34 percentage points. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said North Carolina voters would next year "elect a conservative leader committed to advancing an agenda of opportunity, prosperity, and security.' Whatley, Lara Trump, Harrigan garner GOP attention The list of potential Republican candidates floating on social media appears long, with two close Trump allies among those mentioned often — current Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley and former RNC co-chair Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law. Neither has publicly spoken about the seat. Both are originally from North Carolina, with Whatley a former chief of staff to then-U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole and later state GOP chair before getting elevated to the RNC post last year. Whatley, according to a person familiar with his thinking, is honored to have the RNC position and is neither actively considering nor putting out feelers for the Senate role. He sees his primary job as helping the White House find the right candidate, but also would not reject being considered, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record. Lara Trump now lives in Florida. She declined to run for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina in 2022 and in 2024 took herself out of the running to fill the term of Marco Rubio as he became secretary of state. Another candidate mentioned often is first-term U.S. Rep. Pat Harrigan, a West Point graduate and former Green Beret who served in Afghanistan and later became a defense-products manufacturer. A Harrigan political consultant is a former Tillis aide. Tillis has history of far-right critiques, close elections Tillis' retirement announcement — he will serve out the last 18 months of his term — heartened far-right Republicans and strong Trump supporters who have been unhappy for years with his willingness at times to challenge Trump's actions and his Cabinet agency choices. Tillis sent Trump a text message on Saturday night, alerting him that he would not be running for reelection by telling the president: 'Start thinking about my replacement.' Trump responded in the text, a copy of which was seen by The Associated Press: 'I am! DJT.' The message was first reported by The Hill. Trump and his team have already targeted one Republican incumbent: Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, launching a new super PAC devoted to defeating him that has already released an ad lambasting him. While praised for pushing a conservative agenda as state House speaker, Tillis faced strong primary opponents in his first Senate bid in 2014 based on accusations that he was too moderate. But he avoided a significant challenge in the 2020 GOP primary and won two general elections by narrow margins over then-Sen. Kay Hagan and later challenger Cal Cunningham. ___ Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.
Associated Press
30-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
A former governor, a Trump and many others: Tillis retirement sets off NC Senate seat speculation
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis' surprise retirement announcement over the weekend creates a sudden opening in next year's midterm elections, setting off a scramble of successor speculation that includes both a former Democratic governor and a Trump other than the one who ultimately nudged Tillis into leaving. Tillis' decision, revealed Sunday after President Donald Trump threatened to back a primary candidate against him as Tillis opposed Medicaid reductions in the president's tax break and spending cut package, is leading Republican politicians to size up whether they can lasso the electoral and financial support to compete for the seat. Anyone getting a Trump endorsement is likely to have the inside track for the GOP nomination next March. 'There's a tremendous amount of people who are looking at the position and trying to determine whether they have the fire in belly to run for it,' state Rep. John Torbett said on Monday. A Trump endorsement, Torbett added, 'will have a large effect on the electorate.' Democrats waiting on Cooper The absence of an incumbent emboldens national and state Democrats in their bid to flip back the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 advantage. A Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson said Tillis' announcement was 'another blow to Republicans' chances as they face a midterm backlash that puts their majority at risk.' But it's still unclear whether their most high-profile potential candidate — former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper — is going to run. He hasn't publicly revealed his plans, even though former U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel launched his own bid almost three months ago. Cooper left office last December as a popular figure — mentioned briefly as a vice presidential choice for Kamala Harris — who has never lost an election for state office, dating to the mid-1980s. He was elected attorney general four times and is known for his fundraising prowess. Cooper spokesperson Morgan Jackson said Monday that Cooper 'continues to strongly consider a run for the Senate and will decide in the coming weeks.' Nickel's campaign didn't respond Monday to a message seeking comment, but Nickel said Sunday that 'no matter which MAGA loyalist Donald Trump handpicks to run in North Carolina, I'm the Democrat who's ready to take them on and win.' Veteran Democratic consultant Gary Pearce said Tillis' departure makes it imperative that Cooper get in the race: 'We can't let a Trump toady take that seat.' Still, Democrats haven't won a Senate seat in the ninth-largest state since 2008. That includes when Trump, as a former president, publicly endorsed then-U.S. Rep. Ted Budd for the GOP nomination nearly a year before the 2022 primary. Budd defeated former Gov. Pat McCrory in the primary by 34 percentage points. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said North Carolina voters would next year 'elect a conservative leader committed to advancing an agenda of opportunity, prosperity, and security.' Whatley, Lara Trump, Harrigan garner GOP attention The list of potential Republican candidates floating on social media appears long, with two close Trump allies among those mentioned often — current Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley and former RNC co-chair Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law. Neither has publicly spoken about the seat. Both are originally from North Carolina, with Whatley a former chief of staff to then-U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole and later state GOP chair before getting elevated to the RNC post last year. Whatley, according to a person familiar with his thinking, is honored to have the RNC position and is neither actively considering nor putting out feelers for the Senate role. He sees his primary job as helping the White House find the right candidate, but also would not reject being considered, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record. Lara Trump now lives in Florida. She declined to run for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina in 2022 and in 2024 took herself out of the running to fill the term of Marco Rubio as he became secretary of state. Another candidate mentioned often is first-term U.S. Rep. Pat Harrigan, a West Point graduate and former Green Beret who served in Afghanistan and later became a defense-products manufacturer. A Harrigan political consultant is a former Tillis aide. Tillis has history of far-right critiques, close elections Tillis' retirement announcement — he will serve out the last 18 months of his term — heartened far-right Republicans and strong Trump supporters who have been unhappy for years with his willingness at times to challenge Trump's actions and his Cabinet agency choices. Tillis sent Trump a text message on Saturday night, alerting him that he would not be running for reelection by telling the president: 'Start thinking about my replacement.' Trump responded in the text, a copy of which was seen by The Associated Press: 'I am! DJT.' The message was first reported by The Hill. Trump and his team have already targeted one Republican incumbent: Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, launching a new super PAC devoted to defeating him that has already released an ad lambasting him. While praised for pushing a conservative agenda as state House speaker, Tillis faced strong primary opponents in his first Senate bid in 2014 based on accusations that he was too moderate. But he avoided a significant challenge in the 2020 GOP primary and won two general elections by narrow margins over then-Sen. Kay Hagan and later challenger Cal Cunningham. ___ Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.
