Statement on the Right's Embracing of Cancel Culture

In recent days, I’ve seen some Republican activists calling the employers of people who’ve made vile comments about Charlie Kirk’s death. That approach should be rejected by anyone who values free speech.

This is cancel culture 2.0, except this time it is coming from the Right. As principled defenders of free speech, we should reject that approach and stand firm in our commitment to free expression. Free speech means protecting even speech we find offensive, because the alternative is a culture where every side takes turns trying to destroy one another’s livelihoods. That only deepens division and silences open debate.

My heart and prayers remain with Charlie’s family, friends, and the countless people whose lives he impacted through his work. I deeply respected his courage, his commitment to conservative principles, and his belief in open dialogue. If we truly want to honor his life and legacy, we should continue to foster open dialogue rather than silence, persuasion rather than punishment.

I am committed to not engaging in cancel culture. Instead, I will continue to stand for open dialogue and free speech principles, while focusing accountability where it belongs: on elected officials and those seeking public office. Private citizens should not be targeted, even when we strongly disagree with them.

The way forward is not in silencing, but in persuasion. That is how we build a stronger, freer, and more united America.

Statement On the Assassination of Charlie Kirk

I am heartbroken to learn that Charlie Kirk has passed away following the shooting at Utah Valley University. My prayers are with his family, the students, and everyone impacted by this tragedy. No American should ever lose their life for speaking their mind. This was an act of political terrorism, pure and simple, and it must be condemned without hesitation.

We must stand united against violence in our politics and recommit ourselves to the values of free speech, peace, and civility. May God comfort all who are grieving in this dark moment.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 (KJV)

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.