Thom Tillis warns NC Republicans their grip on power could slip. What to know
U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis has been increasingly outspoken since announcing he wouldn’t seek a third term. The retiring Huntersville senator told McClatchy he’s frustrated by GOP infighting and budget gridlock that could threaten the party’s legislative supermajority — and possibly its majority — heading into November.
FULL STORY: NC’s Thom Tillis drops the filter as he prepares to leave the Senate
Here are key takeaways:
• Tillis says Republicans face serious “headwinds” in November. He warned that the party risks losing its supermajority in the General Assembly and said GOP lawmakers need to act as one team rather than fight publicly.
• He’s frustrated by open conflict between House and Senate leaders. “I’m very, very frustrated when I see the Senate leader and the House leader at odds publicly,” Tillis said, adding that the inability to pass a timely state budget is compounding the problem.
• Tillis helped raise money to unseat former Senate leader Phil Berger. He confirmed he participated in a Zoom call in which he supported Berger’s primary opponent, Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page, who won by 23 votes.
• His opposition to Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill over Medicaid concerns ended his reelection bid. Tillis argued the legislation could strip coverage from hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians. After Tillis ended his campaign, Trump called him “a loser.”
• His Senate seat will be contested by former Gov. Roy Cooper and former RNC Chairman Michael Whatley in November. Tillis plans to support Whatley and said he’ll also be involved in state legislative races, calling the House majority “personal to me.”
• After retirement, Tillis plans to consult on education, energy, AI and other topics. And he’ll return home to Huntersville — but says he won’t register as a lobbyist or seek elected office again.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.
This story was originally published April 8, 2026 at 10:30 AM with the headline "Thom Tillis warns NC Republicans their grip on power could slip. What to know."
