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Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) advised Michael Whatley, the Republican nominee aiming to succeed him, to be more willing to disagree with President Trump on certain issues to appeal to independent voters in North Carolina. This advice came as Trump was scheduled to campaign for Whatley in Gastonia, just before the state’s November election where the seat is seen as a likely flip due to Cooper's polling and fundraising advantages. Tillis emphasized the importance of not appearing supportive of policy distractions that are unpopular among North Carolinians, suggesting this approach could be crucial for Whatley’s success in the race.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) advised potential successor Michael Whatley, who is running to replace him in the Senate, to not be afraid of publicly disagreeing with President Donald Trump on issues unpopular in North Carolina. Tillis made these remarks ahead of a campaign rally in Gastonia, a Charlotte suburb, where Trump was set to stump for Whatley. Tillis emphasized the importance of appealing to unaffiliated voters by highlighting his support for most of Trump's policies while also expressing disagreement on certain matters deemed "not popular" in North Carolina, such as the president’s controversial plans regarding the Kennedy Center and a proposed monument arch. Tillis warned that candidates who hesitate to voice disagreements on unpopular issues risk alienating crucial undecided voters necessary for maintaining the GOP’s hold on the Senate seat.
Written for “Trump Political Criticism” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.45 for article 14707 (medium confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-17
That is, to know when to disagree with President Donald Trump and appeal to unaffiliated voters who are crucial to the GOP’s efforts to maintain the battleground Senate seat from which the two-term centrist is retiring.
asserted
centrist → know → which
“I support the vast majority of the president’s policy, but I think anybody who is hesitant to disagree with things that are objectively not popular in North Carolina has to be out of their mind,” Tillis told the Washington Examiner, citing “distractions” in Washington, such as Trump’s Kennedy Center name change battle and plans to build a towering “triumphal” arch.
asserted
Tillis → support → arch
Tillis’s comments came Wednesday in the hours before Trump was set to stump with Whatley at a campaign rally in the Charlotte suburb of Gastonia.
asserted
Trump → come → Gastonia
“People are struggling to make ends meet, and we’re talking about spending tens of millions of dollars on things that it just doesn’t make sense,” Tillis said.
asserted
Tillis → struggle → sense
“I think you have a healthy disagreement.
asserted
you → think → disagreement
There [is] some binary thinking around where if you disagree once, you’re disloyal, and whoever thinks that way is — let’s just say politically inexperienced.”
asserted
’s → disagree → ?
Whatley, facing former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, is running his first campaign for public office but is the former chairman of the Republican National Committee and a Trump ally who remains closely aligned on policy.
asserted
who → face → policy
The seat is among the most likely to flip this November and leans in Cooper’s favor, thanks in large part to a polling and fundraising advantage.
asserted
seat → flip → advantage
“Silence is consent,” Tillis said.
asserted
Tillis → say → ?
“The perception is going to be you support some of these distractions.”
asserted
you → go → distractions
The Washington Examiner has reached out to the Whatley campaign for comment.
asserted
Examiner → reach → comment
The Whatley event will mark the first campaign rally for Trump since the party’s midterm convention last week in Dallas, where the president offered a preview of his anti-Cooper rhetoric.
asserted
president → mark → rhetoric
He referred to Cooper in one of his speeches as a “radical left politician posing as a moderate” while also acknowledging electoral headwinds in the Tar Heel State, where the Democrat has won statewide elections six times as governor and attorney general.
asserted
Democrat → refer → governor
“In North Carolina, you have a little more difficult case, because people don’t quite get it, but they’re going to find out,” Trump said of the case against Cooper.
asserted
Trump → have → Cooper
Tillis has for months suggested Whatley make a post-primary pivot toward the center in an appeal to North Carolina’s roughly 40% of unaffiliated registered voters who have begun early voting.
uncertain
who → suggest → voting
His current assessment is that Whatley has “clearly got headwinds” amid energized left-leaning voters.
asserted
Whatley → get → voters
Tillis’s offers to stump for Whatley have not been embraced, according to the senator, but he has helped with fundraising.
uncertain
he → stump → fundraising
He offered a final word of caution ahead of Whatley appearing with Trump.
asserted
Whatley → offer → Trump
“I’ve told them, tell me how I can help,” Tillis said.
asserted
Tillis → tell → me
“I’d love to have a Republican replace me.
asserted
Republican → love → me
I think it’s good to get a base that may be suppressed, but we got to be careful with what’s said, because … the math doesn’t work unless you resonate with the unaffiliated.”
uncertain
you → think → unaffiliated
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