Wiley Nickel announces campaign, takes aim at U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis' seat

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Former Congressman Wiley Nickel announced Wednesday that he will be running for US Senate in the 2026 midterm elections.

Nickel, a Democrat, would be going against Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who is up for re-election next year.

"For me, this is not a time to be on the sidelines. We need to get in the action right now and make our voices heard," Nickel told ABC11 on Wednesday.

After serving two terms in the North Carolina State Senate, Nickel ran for Congress in 2022 and won.

He later announced he would not run for reelection in his district after the state maps were changed before the 2024 election.

"Donald Trump is shredding our constitution, and billionaires are cutting Medicare, dismantling FEMA, and taking a sledgehammer to our education system. It's happening right now, and Thom Tillis is cheering them on. North Carolinians are struggling with rising costs, low wages, and a senator who cares more about his own career than helping them. I can't sit on the sidelines and watch it happen," said Nickel.

The former state senator, who has served in Congress, enters the race as Republicans hold a majority in the Senate.

"I'm running for the US Senate because it's time for a new generation of leaders in Washington with a fresh vision and a whole lot of fight in them," Nickel said.

Tillis' campaign manager, Abby Roesch, said in a statement "we are ready for the fight," and she added that Tillis has "a proven record of delivering results for North Carolinians," such as helping President Trump pass tax cuts in his first term and approving disaster aid to families and businesses, such as after Hurricane Helene.

Some experts said they think Tillis' seat could potentially flip next year as Democrats try to take back the Senate majority. The last two Senate races show how narrow Tillis' victories were.

"It's going to be incredibly close," political expert Chris Cooper said. "Nationally, 2026 is expected to be a good year for Democrats. We know that the party of the president always loses seats in the midterm."

In Holly Springs, which was part of the district that emerged as one of the nation's battlegrounds for congressional control in 2022 when Nickel last ran for Congress, voter Mary Kaye McCallum was critical of Tillis.

"Thom Tillis, he sits on the fence, and he plays one side against the other," McCallum said.

But as an independent voter, she said, she's going to listen to both sides and decide what's best for her as a North Carolinian next year.

"I feel very confident, and I feel that we need a change and hopefully a positive change for all of us," McCallum said. "We are Americans. We live in a wonderful country. And I do believe we have to go for who's best to service."

Former Gov. Roy Cooper's name has also been raised by experts as a possible Democrat who could still enter the race. If he joined, he would automatically be considered the front-runner in a March 2026 primary, but according to ABC News, Cooper is "taking time to thoughtfully consider what he does next."

SEE ALSO | Hundreds show up for self-described 'empty chair' town hall for Sen. Thom Tillis