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FIRST ON FOX: A first-term House Republican and military veteran is eyeing a bid for Sen. Thom Tillis’ North Carolina Senate seat after the GOP lawmaker announced he would not run for re-election, a source close to the congressman told Fox News Digital.
Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., a former Army Special Forces Officer who was deployed to Afghanistan, was elected to represent North Carolina’s 10th congressional district in November 2024.
It comes after President Donald Trump pledged to find a primary challenger for Tillis over the senator’s decision to vote “no” on a key procedural hurdle to advance the commander-in-chief’s “big, beautiful bill.”
SENATE REPUBLICANS RAM TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ THROUGH KEY TEST VOTE
Sen. Thom Tillis voted against proceeding to debate on President Trump’s reconciliation bill. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Harrigan was elected to replace former House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry, R-N.C.
He’s among the first to express interest in Tillis’ seat in what could shape up into a crowded Republican primary race ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Rep. Tim Moore, R-N.C., another first-term House Republican, is also considering a bid for Tillis’ Senate seat, a source familiar with his plans told Fox News Digital.
Moore is the former speaker of the North Carolina state House of Representatives.
Tillis revealed he would not run for re-election in a bombshell statement on Sunday afternoon, criticizing the current political environment.
Freshman GOP Rep. Pat Harrigan is eyeing a bid for Sen. Thom Tillis’ seat, a source told Fox News Digital. (Getty Images)
“Too many elected officials are motivated by pure raw politics who really don’t give a damn about the people they promised to represent on the campaign trail. After they get elected, they don’t bother to do the hard work to research the policies they seek to implement and understand the consequences those policies…
