Statement On the Retirement of Sen Thom Tillis

North Carolina owes Senator Thom Tillis a genuine thank-you for nearly two decades of public service, first in Raleigh and since 2015 in the U.S. Senate. His focus on veterans’ care, rural broadband, and pragmatic deals delivered real wins for families from the coast to the mountains, and he leaves office on his own terms after announcing he will not run again in 2026.

A special word of gratitude goes to his wife, Susan Tillis. Through her Red, White and Bundled project she has rallied volunteers and donors to assemble thousands of baby-care bundles for junior enlisted military families at Fort Bragg and beyond, proving that public service in the Tillis home has always been a team effort.

Senator Tillis consistently put principle ahead of pressure. He took heat from inside the party in 2023 when state GOP delegates formally censured him for bipartisan votes, and he brushed off fresh threats of a primary challenge from President Trump. He never backed down from doing what he believed was right.

Now the fight shifts to us. This seat will be one of the toughest Republican holds in 2026, and losing it could swing control of the Senate. Keeping North Carolina red will demand early unity, a rock-solid conservative nominee, relentless voter registration, and door-knocking energy in every county.