Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina announced Sunday he is not seeking reelection next year.
The North Carolina senator’s announcement came a day after he was one of only two Republican holdouts who voted against advancing President Donald Trump’s sweeping agenda bill. Tillis had expressed concern about the impact cuts to Medicaid would have on his constituents, and Trump threatened on Saturday to back a primary challenger to his Senate seat.
Tillis said in his statement that his decision was “not a hard choice” and expressed a desire to be closer with his family.
“I look forward to having the pure freedom to call the balls and strikes as I see fit and representing the great people of North Carolina to the best of my ability,” he said.
Tillis’ Senate seat in North Carolina, a battleground state, will be crucial for Republicans to keep if they want to maintain their narrow majority in the chamber.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
