Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) announced Sunday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, delivering a jolt to the political landscape just hours after voting against President Trump’s sweeping tax and spending package.
Tillis, who has served in the Senate since 2015, acknowledged what many in Washington had already sensed that his enthusiasm for another term had waned.
“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,” Tillis said in a statement. “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,” he added. “I will not be seeking re-election.”
The timing of the announcement is striking, coming just a day after Tillis became one of only two Senate Republicans to vote against advancing Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” His opposition drew immediate fire from Trump, who publicly threatened to support a primary challenger in North Carolina.
“Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis,” Trump posted on Saturday. “I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America.”
Trump didn’t let up on Sunday either, blasting Tillis as “a talker and complainer, NOT A DOER!” as tensions between the two reached new heights.
Tillis’ decision not to run again now opens a competitive Senate seat in a battleground state, setting up a high-stakes primary that could become a litmus test for loyalty to Trump and his agenda.
