Vice President Mike Pence is headed to North Carolina to help out Sen. Thom Tillis, whose support from grassroots Republicans is waning in advance of his 2020 reelection bid.
Pence was scheduled to headline a May 22 fundraiser in Greensboro, an event also expected to include Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee. This show of force from senior figures in President Trump’s inner circle, on the heels of Tillis gaining a potentially formidable primary challenger, was intended to blunt criticism from the Right that Tillis has been disloyal to the White House.
The fundraiser, hosted jointly by the Trump campaign and the RNC, was asking for donations of anywhere from $2,800 to $35,000, per a copy of the invitation obtained by the Washington Examiner.
Tillis votes with Trump on legislation nearly 95% of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight.com.
But Republican activists in North Carolina are still smarting from Tillis’ initial decision to oppose Trump’s declaration of a national emergency to sidestep Congress and fund a security barrier along the Mexican border. Tillis eventually changed his mind and backed Trump, but not before he piqued the ire of base Republicans long suspicious of the former speaker of the North Carolina state House.
Last week, wealthy businessman Garland Tucker sought to capitalize on Tillis’ softening support among the grassroots by launching a challenge that he said would offer GOP primary voters an opportunity to support a Republican for Senate who “stands with President Trump.” Tucker has a history of conservative activism in the state.
The senator and his allies have responded Tucker’s candidacy emphasizing his opposition to Trump during the party’s 2016 presidential primary.
“Today’s candidate has a long record of attacking the President and appears to be assembling an anti-Trump team,” Tillis campaign manager Luke Blanchat said in a statement. “Senator Tillis looks forward to continuing to work with President Trump and Vice President Pence in securing our border and keeping our economy growing at a record setting pace.”
[Also read: Poll: Trump crushes Maryland Gov. Hogan in GOP primary matchup]
