【By Observer News, Wang Yi】 After being fiercely criticized by Trump for voting against the "Big and Beautiful" tax and spending bill, U.S. Republican Senator Thom Tillis from North Carolina announced on June 29 local time that he will not seek re-election next year.

This decision came less than 24 hours after Trump threatened to support others challenging Tillis in the primary election. Trump then posted a message celebrating Tillis's decision not to run for re-election as a "good news." According to sources, Trump's daughter-in-law, former Republican National Committee (RNC) co-chair Lara Trump, is "seriously considering running."

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The Washington Post analyzed that Tillis's decision to not seek re-election has disrupted the 2026 North Carolina Senate race and added new uncertainty to the Republicans' efforts to pass the "Big and Beautiful" bill before the July 4 deadline.

The "Big and Beautiful" bill is Trump's core legislative agenda, including large-scale tax cuts, cuts to federal Medicare, and increased crackdowns on illegal immigrants. On June 28, during a procedural vote on the bill, Tillis and another senator from Kentucky, Rand Paul, were the only two Republicans who "defected." Tillis warned that the Medicaid cut provisions in the bill would cause hundreds of thousands of North Carolina voters to lose health insurance.

Despite their opposition, the bill ultimately passed the Senate by a narrow margin.

Hours later, Trump posted an angry message on his own social media platform "Truth Social," calling Tillis a "complainer who does nothing" and even worse than Rand Paul. Trump also said on the night of June 28 that there were "many people" willing to challenge Tillis in the primary, saying, "I will meet with them in the coming weeks to find someone who truly represents North Carolina, and more importantly, the American people."

On June 29, Tillis officially announced his decision not to seek a third term. In his statement, he did not hide his dissatisfaction with the current political environment in America, saying that Washington is now filled with politicians who care only about political interests and not the interests of their voters. "After they are elected, they don't bother to study the policies they want to implement, nor do they bother to understand the consequences these policies might have on young people living in trailer parks trying to make ends meet," he said.

Photo from video of U.S. Republican Senator Thom Tillis from North Carolina

The Washington Post noted that although Tillis had been actively preparing for re-election, unnamed sources revealed that he raised $2.3 million in campaign funds in the first quarter of this year and was scheduled to hold a re-election announcement meeting on July 10. However, a person close to Tillis said he wasn't fully committed, and had set a deadline for himself to decide whether to run in August or September. The push for the "Big and Beautiful" bill made him finally decide.

Trump's reaction to Tillis's decision not to run for re-election was: "Good news!"

The Democrats quickly welcomed this, believing it would give them a better chance to win the seat in 2026. Maeve Coyle, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, stated in a statement: "Even Tillis admits that the Republican plan to cut Medicaid and increase family costs is toxic. By 2026, Democrats will flip the Senate seat in North Carolina."

The Washington Post pointed out that Tillis's seat is the only one in the 2026 Senate election that is currently held by a Republican, but Trump leads by less than 10 percentage points in the state, making it a crucial opportunity for the Democrats. For months, Democrats have been actively lobbying former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper to challenge Tillis. Former congressman Wiley Nickel also announced on June 29 that he is ready to face anyone "carefully selected by Trump to run in North Carolina."

The paper noted that winning an empty seat is usually easier than defeating an incumbent, but since 2008, Democrats have not won a federal Senate race in North Carolina, and Trump has almost always won the state by a narrow margin in every campaign.

Trump's choice is likely his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump. NBC White House correspondent cited sources saying that as a North Carolinian, Lara Trump is "seriously considering running."

Tim Scott, chairman of the Republican National Senatorial Committee and a U.S. Senator from South Carolina, responded in a statement that the people of North Carolina will continue to elect a "conservative leader committed to prosperity and security" in 2026.

This is not the first time Trump has threatened to challenge Republicans who have conflicts with him. The most well-known instance was in 2022, when he supported Harriet Hageman, who defeated Wyoming's former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney. Cheney was one of the most critical Republicans towards Trump, and she served as vice chair of the committee investigating the January 6th Capitol riot, and voted to impeach Trump.

Previously, Tillis and Trump had not been so tense. He mentioned in an interview last month that his relationship with the president would protect him from challenges. Tillis said, "As long as I maintain a good relationship with President Trump, we won't see serious opposition from the right wing," and "I enjoyed his support in 2020, and if anything, I think our relationship has become stronger."

Although he once received Trump's endorsement, Tillis, who will turn 65 this August, has repeatedly collaborated with Democrats on issues such as gun control, same-sex marriage, and immigration, and is seen as a moderate or compromiser within the Republican Party.

Democratic U.S. Senator Brian Schatz from Hawaii also commented on Tillis, saying, "He was a respected opponent and often an excellent colleague. His departure is a loss for the people."

This article is an exclusive publication by Observer News. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7521570325910258215/

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