WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said Sunday he will not seek reelection next year, a day after announcing his opposition to President Donald Trump’s tax breaks and spending cuts package because of its reductions to health care programs.

The decision creates a political opportunity for Democrats seeking to bolster their numbers in the 2026 midterm elections.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is rushing to meet President Donald Trump’s July 4 deadline for pushing through his massive tax and spending bill, but first he has to work through a list of approximately eight Republican senators who have expressed opposition to portions of it.