Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina announced Sunday that he will not seek reelection next year after President Donald Trump threatened to support a primary challenger over the two-term Republican’s opposition to the chamber’s sweeping budget reconciliation bill.
Tillis, who ranked among the most vulnerable senators up for reelection next year, said his decision was not difficult.
“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,” he 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, and I will not be seeking re-election.”
