North Carolina GOP votes to censure Sen. Thom Tillis for straying from party platform
The North Carolina Republican Party voted on Saturday to censure Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) for policy decisions they said do not align with the party, according to The Associated Press.
Tillis, who previously served as Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, has drawn the ire of fellow conservatives in the Tar Heel State over his work on the Respect for Marriage Act last year. He helped negotiate the legislation, which recognized same-sex and interracial marriages under federal law.
He described the legislation at the time as “a good compromise that provides permanent certainty for same-sex couples while ensuring robust protections for churches and religious organizations.”
Tillis has also faced pushback over his stance on immigration and gun violence, after he initially opposed former President Trump’s plan to use military funds to build a border wall and supported funding for laws that allow law enforcement to temporarily take away guns from high-risk individuals, the AP reported.
Daniel Keylin, a spokesperson for Tillis, responded to the state party’s censure vote on Saturday, saying that the senator “keeps his promises and delivers results.”
"He will never apologize for his work passing the largest tax cut in history, introducing legislation to secure the border and end sanctuary cities, delivering desperately-needed funding to strengthen school safety, and protecting the rights of churches to worship freely based on their belief in traditional marriage,” Keylin said in a statement to The Hill.
The vote took place behind closed doors at the state party’s annual convention on Saturday, where former President Trump is set to speak later in the day. Former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also spoke.