Latest news with #WileyNickel
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Following Trump attacks, Republican Senator Tillis bows out of 2026 reelection race
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republican U.S. Senator Thom Tillis said on Sunday he will not seek reelection next year, a day after President Donald Trump said he would consider supporting challengers to Tillis in response to his vote against the White House's signature tax-cut bill. Tillis was one of two Republican senators on Saturday to vote against opening debate on Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending bill, a procedural step necessary to advance the legislation. His North Carolina seat is seen as one of the few competitive Senate races in the 2026 midterm elections, when control of both chambers of Congress will be at stake. While the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives is considered up for grabs, Democrats face an uphill battle in trying to reclaim a Senate majority. Republicans hold a 53-47 edge, and all but two Republicans up for election - Tillis and Susan Collins in Maine - are in states that Trump carried easily in the 2024 presidential election. Former U.S. Representative Wiley Nickel is the most prominent Democrat who has announced a run against Tillis, but party leaders have been hoping that former Governor Roy Cooper, who remains popular in the state, will jump into the race. In a statement, Tillis made no mention of Trump but bemoaned the political gridlock that has gripped Congress. "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," he said. Following Tillis' "no" vote on the tax-cut bill on Saturday, Trump attacked him on social media, saying the senator was making a "big mistake" and vowing to meet with potential Republican challengers in the coming weeks. Tillis had voiced several objections to the bill, including concerns over how the proposed legislation's cuts to the Medicaid healthcare program for lower-income Americans could impact his constituents.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Thom Tillis says he will retire following Trump attacks
Sen. Thom Tillis, a two-term North Carolina Republican who was expected to contest one of 2026's toughest Senate races, said Sunday he will not seek re-election. Tillis made the announcement after voting "no" on a procedural vote to advance President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" — the cornerstone of his domestic policy agenda. Trump subsequently attacked Tillis in a series of social media posts. '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 continued: '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' retirement sets up what could be a wild and crowded GOP primary in the Tar Heel State. On the Democratic side, Rep. Wiley Nickel is already in the race, and national party leaders are hoping ex-Gov. Roy Cooper enters the race.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Thom Tillis says he will retire following Trump attacks
Sen. Thom Tillis, a two-term North Carolina Republican who was expected to contest one of 2026's toughest Senate races, said Sunday he will not seek re-election. Tillis made the announcement after voting "no" on a procedural vote to advance President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" — the cornerstone of his domestic policy agenda. Trump subsequently attacked Tillis in a series of social media posts. '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 continued: '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' retirement sets up what could be a wild and crowded GOP primary in the Tar Heel State. On the Democratic side, Rep. Wiley Nickel is already in the race, and national party leaders are hoping ex-Gov. Roy Cooper enters the race.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ep. 007: Wiley Nickel
(WGHP) — He's not the one everyone seems to be waiting for, but he says he's the man they should be. Wiley Nickel is not a firebrand. He's not a famous name, but he did serve in both the North Carolina State Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, and he believes he's the best one to take on two-term incumbent U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis. He lays out his case for the Democratic nomination and why voters should listen less to the voices of the progressive left that seem to be dominating the Democratic Party these days. Hosted by , is a weekly look at what's going on in the world of politics and how it all affects you. Watch the full episode in the video player above. You can also watch Swing State on or stream it on the on Roku, AppleTV and Fire TV. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nickel raises $2.4M in 2026 U.S. Senate bid to unseat Tillis
Ahead of his formal announcement for Senate, former Rep. Wiley Nickel spoke at a packed 'empty chair' town hall for Sen. Thom Tillis in March. (Photo: Brandon Kingdollar/NC Newsline) Democratic former U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel has raised $2.4 million this year in his quest to oust Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis in the 2026 election. Last week marked the Federal Election Commission's most recent quarterly filing deadline for the period between Jan. 1 and March 31 — the first complete period following the 2024 election in November. Nickel's haul was a notable increase over last quarter, when he raised less than $3,000. After spending nearly $2 million this year, he has about $520,000 left on hand. Nickel, who declined to run for a second U.S. House term due to gerrymandering heavily favoring a GOP victory in his district, formally launched his campaign against Tillis earlier this month. He's the first Democrat to officially declare his candidacy for the seat. The numbers are still dwarfed by Tillis, who has the incumbent's advantage a year and a half out from the election. He reported raising more than $5.6 million during the filing period and spending nearly $2.5 million, leaving him with just over $4 million in the bank. North Carolina's 2026 Senate race is anticipated to be one of the nation's most competitive and expensive. As he seeks his third term, Tillis is the only Republican senator up for reelection in a 2024 swing state. It's a must-win for Democrats, who would need to retain all of their incumbents and win four additional seats to become the majority party. As a more moderate member of his party, Tillis has come under fire for breaking from MAGA guidelines. As such, he risks a primary challenger from a Trump-endorsed candidate. He's possibly found one in Don Brown, a lawyer from Charlotte who has provided aid to clients participating in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and who embraces a an aggressively pro-MAGA agenda, according to his campaign website. Brown raised $21,600 in the first quarter. That's not an insignificant amount for a largely unknown first-time candidate whose team filed paperwork to enter the race in February — halfway through the filing period. These contributions came from 18 individuals who donated between $250 and $3,500 each. Having spent just under $2,000 during the period, Brown has about $20,500 remaining on hand. Andy Nilsson, a retired businessman and former candidate for lieutenant governor, declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination at the start of the year. Nilsson did not file a campaign finance report for the quarter. On the Democratic side, the party is eyeing former Gov. Roy Cooper for a run. Cooper, who left the executive mansion in January, has yet to announce his intentions. Aside from North Carolina, it looks like Democrats' most viable pick-up opportunities in 2026 could be Maine, where GOP Sen. Susan Collins is running for her sixth term, and a special election in Ohio to replace Vice President JD Vance. In addition to already holding the majority in the chamber, the map is more favorable for Republicans. The party could seize seats in the battleground states of Georgia and Michigan, where Sen. Gary Peters' retirement leads to an open seat. Democratic Sens. Tina Smith of Minnesota and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire have also announced their retirements. This means the party will need to recruit candidates to hold on to those seats. Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado could also depart the Senate next year if he is successful in his run for governor. His seat isn't up until 2028, though, and he does not need to resign to run. If he wins, Bennet will likely be able to appoint his successor to the Senate seat for Colorado.
