Overview

• Senator Thom Tillis confirmed he will retire at the end of his term and not seek reelection in 2026, creating one of the Senate’s most contested open seats.
• His decision followed Trump’s public denunciations and threats to back primary challengers after Tillis opposed Medicaid reductions in the One Big Beautiful Bill.
• Former Gov. Roy Cooper has signaled he will decide in the coming weeks whether to enter the Democratic primary, emerging as the party’s leading hopeful.
• On the Republican side, former RNC co-chair Lara Trump and RNC Chair Michael Whatley have been floated as potential contenders for the GOP nomination.
• With a three-seat Senate majority at stake in a narrowly divided battleground state, both parties are mobilizing resources and high-profile campaigns for 2026.