Republican Sen. Thom Tillis will not seek reelection, he announced Sunday, a stunning decision that leaves Republicans scrambling to defend his seat in North Carolina.
Tillis’ move will send shockwaves through both the Senate and his home state, where Democrats had already marked him as their top target for the 2026 midterm election.
“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.”