WASHINGTON _ U.S. Rep. Mark Walker will not run for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in 2020, ending months of speculation about whether the Greensboro congressman would challenge incumbent Thom Tillis and set up what could be a divisive GOP primary.
Walker said he met with President Donald Trump in May and has another meeting scheduled with the president, whose endorsement would carry enormous weight in a GOP primary. Tillis has angered some conservatives with stances seen as anti-Trump, including co-sponsoring a bill to protect special counsel Robert Mueller and vowing to vote against the president's emergency declaration. Tillis reversed his position and voted with the president on the emergency declaration.
Raleigh businessman Garland Tucker is running in the GOP primary against Tillis. Sandy Smith, a farmer from Winterville, is also running for the nomination.
