Local party chairs, UNCW professor weigh in on Sen. Tillis’ retirement

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The balance of the Senate could rest on the shoulders of North Carolina after Senator Thom Tillis announced he won’t seek re-election in 2026.  

Tillis announced his retirement on Sunday as he clashes with party leadership over President Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.”  

Tillis has spoken out against the bill primarily because of its cuts to Medicaid—which will result in millions of Americans eventually losing their health insurance. 

 “Republicans are about to make a mistake on healthcare and betraying a promise,” Tillis said about the bill Sunday. 

“Senator Tillis, like many politicians, is voting with their party a majority of the time, over 90% of the time, right? Of course it’s the couple of times that you maybe not do it.” Dr. Arron King explained. 

King is a political science professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. 

He attributes Tillis’ retirement—at least in part—to his growing disagreement with the party’s establishment.  

“For some politicians, those things line up really nicely, and your job is pretty easy,” King said. “Whatever you think you want to do, is the same problem as what your constituents do. But it becomes very difficult to navigate as soon as maybe, you have the president saying you want one thing, and then you’re maybe thinking something different, and what do the voters want?” 

“I was surprised to hear the news, but given the acrimony between he and President Trump, it seems that maybe now is his time to step down,” New Hanover County Republican Party Chair John Hinnant said. 

Hinnant pushed back on Tillis’ assessment that the moderates in the party are punished.  

He says there is still room for moderates, albeit, depending on what you define as “moderate.”  

“The party has changed since 2016 when Donald Trump came onto the scene,” Hinnant said.  

Tillis was first elected in 2014.

“Is there room for moderates in our party? Sure,” Hinnant added. “The Republican Party is a big party, and that’s one of the reasons why we argue so much is because we all have big ideas, big personalities, and we will disagree on issues.”  

King says with Tillis stepping down, it opens the door to other conservative looking to run—but also gives Democratic opponents an opportunity to flip the seat.  

“Midterm elections are always difficult for the presidential administration, doesn’t matter which party is in the White House. So, that’s already a challenge,” he explained. “Turnout is lower in midterm elections as it is, and now that you have an open seat, it will be a difficult seat to defend. It definitely creates a void of who is going to take that gap.” 

WWAY also received a statement from New Hanover County Democratic Party Chair Jill Hopman that reads: 

“In a midterm election where Republicans are playing defense across the ballot, 2026 was already shaping up to be a strong cycle for Democrats—and Senator Tillis’s retirement only underscores the amazing opportunity that we have. North Carolinians are tired of the same old pro-corporation, pro-wealthy rubber stamp for Donald Trump who puts MAGA interests before those of our seniors, students, families, working class, and women.  

And let’s not kid ourselves: Thom Tillis was never really a moderate. So if there isn’t a place left for him in the GOP, then who is actually welcome in their party outside of far-right extremists and Trump loyalists? It is sad that the most-fringe elements of the Republican Party not only direct policy for our entire purple state now—from cutting Medicare and Social Security, to banning books and DEI, to hiking insurance rates and rental prices—but have also become so frightening that they even scare off their own incumbent lawmakers. The New Hanover County Democratic Party is ready to end this chaos. In 2026, we’re going to send a senator to Washington who actually fights for North Carolina — not against it.” 

Even though it’s still early, several Republicans have already been floated for the position. Some of those names include Lara Trump and Michael Whatley. 

On the Democratic side, Willey Nickel announced he plans to run. Others close to former governor Roy Cooper say he’s considering throwing his hat into the ring.