Sen. Thom Tillis says he won't seek re-election after opposing Trump megabill

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, N.C., volition not tally for re-election erstwhile his word is up, helium announced Sunday, hours aft helium voted against advancing President Donald Trump's tax bill and drew the president's ire.

"As galore of my colleagues person noticed implicit the past year, and at times adjacent joked about, I haven't precisely been excited astir moving for another term," Tillis said successful a statement.

"That is existent since the prime is betwixt spending different six years navigating the governmental theatre and partisan gridlock successful Washington oregon spending that clip with the emotion of my beingness Susan, our 2 children, 3 beauteous grandchildren, and the remainder of our extended household backmost home," helium said.

"It's not a hard choice, and I volition not beryllium seeking re-election," helium continued.

Tillis' announcement is apt to spur a competitory — and costly — predetermination successful the key battleground, wherever Trump had already said helium would research supporting a superior challenger to the two-term senator.

Tillis has been an outspoken professional of Trump's megabill, and helium voted against advancing the bundle successful a cardinal precocious Saturday vote, making him 1 of 2 Republicans to bash so.

After Tillis' "no" vote,Trump took to Truth Social to knock the North Carolina Republican.

"Numerous radical person travel guardant wanting to tally successful the Primary against "Senator Thom" Tillis," Trump wrote.

"I volition beryllium gathering with them implicit the coming weeks, looking for idiosyncratic who volition decently correspond the Great People of North Carolina and, truthful importantly, the United States of America," helium continued.

Tillis' seat, which helium has held since 2014, has besides been a people for Democrats successful adjacent year's midterms anxious for a pick-up opportunity.

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