The angling and messaging ahead of the 2026 midterms is heating up thanks not just to the fact that a number of key swing state US Senate seats have opened up because of Democrat retirements, but also because notorious RINOs are retiring in news that could mean that MAGA and President Trump have a much more politically helpful Senate majority if they win a few key races in 2026. MAGA is, as a result, celebrating.
Amongst those senators whose retirement has sparked the most celebration online was Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), a so-called moderate Republican who has become notorious in conservative political circles for his tendency to subvert President Trump’s agenda, as he did by being a public opponent of the Big, Beautiful Bill.
Tillis announced his retirement in late June of this year in an official statement in which he patted himself on the back for not consistently siding with his party and constituents and instead working with the Democrats, saying, “In Washington over the last few years, it’s become increasingly evident that leaders who are willing to embrace bipartisanship, compromise, and demonstrate independent thinking are becoming an endangered species.”
He added, commenting on the fact that he has been unexcited at the prospect of spending more time in DC, which makes sense given how much he is detested, “As many of my colleagues have noticed over the last year, and at times even joked about, I haven’t exactly been excited about running for another term.”
Conservatives quickly celebrated online, seeing the news as a major win for Trump. One such account, for example, wrote, “When the President threatens primary challenges, weak Republicans RUN instead of FIGHT for America First policies! TILLIS’S EXCUSE: ‘Wants to spend time with family’ 🙄 THE TRUTH: He knew Trump-backed challengers would DESTROY him in 2026! WINNING! North Carolina will now get a REAL conservative who puts AMERICA FIRST! 🇺🇸 This is how we DRAIN THE SWAMP – one RINO retirement at a time!”
Similarly, conservative X personality Nick Sortor, on the day that Tillis dropped out, wrote, “🚨 BREAKING: THOM TILLIS JUST ANNOUNCED HE WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION This comes just hours after Trump EVISCERATED him. Good riddance, loser!”
Sortor later added, in a comment underneath his post, that the 2026 election season is looking good from a perspective of replacing RINOs with MAGA patriots, saying, “We have the chance to make a LOT of good MAGA pickups in 2026. Several in the Senate. John Cornyn ➡️ Ken Paxton Mitch McConnell ➡️ Nate Morris Thom Tillis ➡️ Lara Trump (??)”
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Other commenters on Sortor’s post left similar messages regarding their desire to get rid of RINOS like Tillis, saying things like “Tillis screwed over Ed Martin, a good man who was cleaning up DC. Good riddance Tillis 👋🏻” and “Regardless of the Big Beautiful Bill, there are so many RINOS that need to be removed!!”
Similarly, conservative activist Scott Presler wrote, “I didn’t think this week could get better, but Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) is retiring & will NOT be running for re-election in 2026. Tillis was in danger of losing the seat, anyway. This is a win-win.”