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 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 cardinal battleground, wherever Trump has already said helium would research supporting a superior challenger to the two-term senator.

Trump connected Saturday nighttime said that "numerous radical person travel guardant wanting" to superior Tillis adjacent year, per a Truth Social station aft Tillis voted against advancing statement connected Trump's "one, big, beauteous bill."

Trump said that helium would beryllium gathering with the imaginable candidates "over the coming weeks."

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

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