center folds
Sen. Thom Tillis’ retirement another blow to the shrinking center on Capitol Hill
The pragmatic North Carolina senator was the second moderate Hill Republican this weekend to announce retirement plans amid growing polarization
Kent Nishimura/Getty Images
Sen. Thom TIllis (R-NC) speaks with reporters as he arrives for a vote at the U.S. Capitol on July 31, 2024 in Washington, DC.
Sen. Thom Tillis’ (R-NC) sudden announcement on Sunday that he won’t seek reelection is kicking off one of the most competitive Senate contests of the 2026 cycle, and underscoring the precarious standing for moderate-minded lawmakers on Capitol Hill.