An empty hospital in Williamston, North Carolina, offers an evocative illustration of why Republican Sen. Thom Tillis would buck his party and its leaders to vote down President Trump’s signature dome

His decision creates a political opportunity for Democrats seeking to bolster their numbers in the 2026 midterm elections, creating a wide-open Senate race in a state that has long been a

Political parties typically benefit from having an incumbent candidate on the ballot, but U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis didn’t bring that advantage to the campaign trail in 2026, Republican insiders and political scientists say.