SCOOP: House Republican eyes bid for Thom Tillis Senate seat after Trump attack
Rep. Pat Harrigan, a first-term House Republican and military veteran, is considering a run for Sen. Thom Tillis’ North Carolina Senate seat following Tillis’ announcement that he will not seek re-election. Harrigan, a former Army Special Forces Officer who served in Afghanistan, was elected to represent North Carolina’s 10th congressional district in November 2024.
President Donald Trump has vowed to find a primary challenger for Tillis after the senator voted against a key procedural step to advance Trump’s proposed legislation. Harrigan’s potential bid for the Senate seat comes as part of a larger trend of Republican lawmakers expressing interest in challenging incumbents within their own party.
Harrigan’s election to Congress came after he replaced former House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry. As one of the first to express interest in running for Tillis’ seat, Harrigan could find himself in a crowded field of Republican candidates vying for the nomination in the 2026 midterm elections.
This developing story will be updated as new information becomes available.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, specializing in coverage of the House of Representatives. Her previous work has been featured in publications such as the Daily Mail and CBS News. For more updates on this story and others, follow her on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com.
