In Washington, D.C., a city used to surprises, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis delivered a big one on Sunday. After joining Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) as one of only two Republican votes against supporting a full Senate vote on President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” he announced he will not run for reelection in 2026.
Senator Tillis, a two-term senator, is only 65 years old, middle-aged compared to some of his colleagues. He might have run two or even three more times. But, thanks to President Trump, Tillis stated he will be going home to North Carolina to spend time with his family,
Tillis’ decision is good news for Democrats. They may pick up a seat that otherwise would have remained Republican.
But the decision is bad news for America. Immediately after Tillis announced his decision, Trump condemned and threatened him.
As Tillis put it, “I did my homework on behalf of North Carolinians, and I cannot support this bill in its current form. It would result in tens of billions of dollars in lost funding for North Carolina, including our hospitals and rural communities. This will force the state to make painful decisions like eliminating Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands in the expansion population and even reducing critical services for those in the traditional Medicaid population. “
Political scientists tell us that there are two types of representation in the Senate. Some senators vote with their party on most votes. Other senators do their best to represent their constituents. Tillis was one of those latter senators.
I would describe him as courageous. Trump offered this take on the senator: “Thom Tillis has hurt the great people of North Carolina. Even on the catastrophic flooding, nothing was done to help until I took office. Then a MIRACLE took place! Tillis is a talker and complainer, NOT A DOER! He’s even worse than Rand “Fauci” Paul!”
The President absolutely hates Senator Paul. Incidentally, Paul’s opposition to federal spending and increasing the debt limit are similar to the positions taken by our own Andy “Handgun” Harris. The difference, of course, is that Paul is willing to disagree with the President and vote against legislation inconsistent with his principles. Andy doesn’t have that problem. Remember he voted “present” on the Big Beautiful Bill in the House.
Thom Tillis will not be in the Senate after the 2026 election and, despite my disagreement with him on many issues, his retirement is unfortunate. The Senate needs more members willing to represent their constituents rather than more senators who rubber stamp their party leaders’ positions whether or not they agree with them. But more important is what Tillis’ retirement tells us about the Senate—It is not working.
Tillis was already tired of the fierce partisanship in the Senate before King Donald Trump conceived of a Big Beautiful Bill as the best means of preventing the Senate’s deliberation on the details of the Trump agenda. The bill represents Trump giving the middle finger to Congress, which is supposed to be a co-equal branch of government.
Tillis’ retirement tells us that the Senator concluded serving in the Senate is a waste of time. That conclusion should be deeply troubling to all of us, in part because so many other Republicans appear untroubled with Trump dictating the law of the land.
Maryland is fortunate to have Senate representation that contrasts with that of most Republicans. Senator Chris Van Hollen aggressively represents his constituents, as did former Maryland Senator Ben Cardin. It may be too early to say Senator Alsobrooks will uphold the same high standards, but initial indications are encouraging.
I wish Senator Tillis well. I hope his decision, as disappointing as it is, will prompt other Republicans to ask themselves an important question: Is the Trump agenda in the best interests of my constituents?
J.E. Dean writes on politics, government but, too frequently, on President Trump. A former counsel on Capitol Hill and public affairs consultant, Dean also writes for Dean’s Issues & Insights on Substack.
Mickey Terrone says
Hi John. You’re so right about Tillis. He has been thugged by Trump for not marching in lockstep with his White House marching orders. Tillis has allowed his conscience and concern for the most vulnerable of his North Carolina white constituents to oppose Trump’s horrendous effort to nullify a century of American ideals. He separated himself at the last moment from the cult and acted as an American politician sometimes does by voting his conscience. As a Republican member
of the Trump Cult, however, Tillis has instantly been effectively excommunicated from the Cult. I seriously believe he’s been threatened physically by Trump’s thugs who threatened others like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. It has become commonplace in the Cult.
Yet as sorry as Tillis’ excommunication is, it pales by shameful comparison with Senator Lisa Murkowski. This pathetic excuse for a political leader articulated eloquently against Trump’s big, monstrous bill. Time and again, she expressed how the bill would be devastating to her constituents. Unlike Tillis, however, this coward simply made a deal to protect Alaskans from many of the most injurious aspects of the Trump/Republicans’ legislation. She did so and told a TV network reporter that her obligation was simply to the people of Alaska, so she made a side deal and voted to screw the rest of the country so maybe she’d get reelected and not be threatened by thugs.
The remainder of the US Senate and the vast majority of House Republicans simply took the lemming approach and followed Trump, as if their false rationalizations that the bill wouldn’t create chaos among millions of lower socioeconomic classes of Americans were honest. These are the depths of depravity to which Trump has dragged a political party to where fearful toads do just what they are told knowing how badly they are hurting the vast majority of their constituents.
They believe it was Trump’s dark money and not their constituents who got them elected and its Trump who will either keep them there or force them out. This is how the Republicans have devolved into the Trump Cult and are effective accomplices to his attack on our treasured American democracy.
John Dean says
Thanks for another great comment on one of my pieces.
I could not agree with you more on Senator Murkowski. I also agree with you comments on the rest of the Republicans in the Senate.
Deirdre LaMotte says
When one realizes that 83 billionaires, the largest number in any other nation, have that much representation
with Congress over the millions of poor citizens loosing food and health coverage, we realize how sick this is.
Moral rot has consumed the entire Republican Party; they know right from wrong. They chose wrong.
Wilson Dean says
Tillis’ departure is indeed unfortunate. It leaves the Republican congressional ranks continuing to sip the Trump lemonade and vote his way, and history may eventually equate the outcome of this with the Jim Jones’ followers drinking the cyanide-laced fruit juice at Jonestown.
David Speck says
I am not a big fan of senator Tillis but I agree with him on this bill and on your assessment on this. I would rather have a senator who stands by their principles than walks lock step with the party.
John Dean says
Thanks for reading my column.
Bob Parker says
Tillis’ departure from the Senate is just another example of the following out of the once respectable Republican party – a party of principles and independent thought. Contrast Sen. Tillis’ actions on trump’s BBB where he voted his conscience because he believed that the bill was not in the best interests of his constituents. What was not said by Mr. Dean was that the bill was just as bad for the rest of the country. Contrast Sen. Tillis’ response to that of Sen. Murkowski. Generally considered a “moderare” in the GOP. She voted for the bill after adjustments were made that benefitted her constituents in Alaska. She, too, had strong reservations regarding the bill and characterized the bill that it would harm the country. She put Alaska ahead of America while Sen. Tillis understood that all Americans were in the same boat as North Carolinians.
I ask, who took the more honorable, principled path? My vote is for Sen Tillis. The Founding Fathers crafted a bilateral legislature with Representatives’ terms being 2 yrs while Senators’ 6. They understood that Representatives would be more responsive to their constituents by having to run for re-election every 2 yrs, and that the longer term for Senators allowed them to take a longer view and consider what would be best fore the ENTIRE country. Senator Tillis’ vote reflected this desire by our Founding Fathers while Sen. Murkowski’s did not. Tillis understood that what is bad for NC is bad for all Americans, Sen. Murkowski apparently did not, or believed that Alaska would prosper even if the rest of the country did not. It is highly unlikely that none of the Republicans in Congress who voted for the BBB understood this fact. More the shame for a once ho oracle party.