Career Timeline of Thom Tillis: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Thom Tillis, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Thom Tillis is a Republican politician serving as a U.S. Senator for North Carolina since 2015. Prior to his Senate tenure, he was a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2007 to 2015, holding the position of State House speaker from 2011. Tillis was elected to the Senate in 2014, defeating incumbent Kay Hagan, and secured reelection in 2020. He assumed the role of the state's senior U.S. senator upon Richard Burr's retirement in 2023.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals

1978: Worked at Provident Life and Accident Insurance Co.

After graduating from Antioch High School in 1978, Tillis worked at Provident Life and Accident Insurance Co. in Chattanooga, Tennessee, helping to computerize records.

1990: Recruited to work for Price Waterhouse

In 1990, Tillis was recruited to work for the accounting and consulting firm Price Waterhouse.

1996: Promoted to Partner at Price Waterhouse

In 1996, Tillis was promoted to partner at Price Waterhouse.

2002: Joined IBM

In 2002, after PricewaterhouseCoopers sold its consulting arm to IBM, Tillis went to IBM as well. He began his political career by pushing for a local bike trail and getting elected to the town's park board.

2003: Ran for Town Commissioner

In 2003, Tillis ran for town commissioner and tied for second place.

2006: Elected to the General Assembly

In 2006, Tillis was elected to the General Assembly, defeating John W. Rhodes in the Republican primary.

2007: Elected to NC House of Representatives

In 2007, Thom Tillis was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives.

2007: Voted for renewable portfolio standard

In 2007, Tillis voted in favor of a measure to give North Carolina a renewable portfolio standard.

2008: Reelected unopposed

In 2008, Tillis was reelected unopposed to the General Assembly.

2009: Left IBM

In 2009, Tillis formally left IBM.

2010: Reelected and became campaign chairman

In 2010, Tillis was reelected unopposed and became campaign chairman for the House Republican Caucus.

2011: Became State House Speaker

In 2011, Thom Tillis became the State House Speaker in North Carolina.

2012: Reelected unopposed

In 2012, Tillis was reelected unopposed to the General Assembly.

2012: Role in North Carolina Amendment 1

In 2012, while serving as speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, Thom Tillis played a key role in advocating for North Carolina Amendment 1, which banned same-sex marriage and civil unions in the state.

2013: Reelected as Speaker

In 2013, Tillis was unanimously reelected as Speaker of the North Carolina House.

2014: NRA Spending During 2014 Senate Campaign

During Thom Tillis' 2014 Senate campaign, the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) spent $4.4 million, with half supporting Tillis and half opposing his opponent, Hagan.

2014: Appeal of Ruling on Amendment 1

In 2014, Thom Tillis appealed a ruling that North Carolina's Amendment 1, which banned same-sex marriage and civil unions, was unconstitutional.

2014: Elected to the U.S. Senate

In 2014, Thom Tillis was elected to the United States Senate, defeating Kay Hagan.

2014: Announced run for U.S. Senate

In 2014, Tillis announced that he would not seek reelection to the state House, instead running for U.S. Senate against Kay Hagan. He was endorsed by several prominent Republicans.

2015: Called for opening up Atlantic coast for offshore drilling

During his first speech on the Senate floor in 2015, Tillis called for opening up the United States' Atlantic coast for offshore drilling.

2015: Became a U.S. Senator

In 2015, Thom Tillis began his service as a United States Senator from North Carolina.

2015: Vote on Same-Sex Marriage Amendment

In 2015, while serving in the Senate, Thom Tillis voted for an amendment to a non-binding resolution that would have allowed same-sex married couples residing in states that did not recognize same-sex marriage to access government resources.

2015: Membership in Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus

Since 2015, Thom Tillis has been a member of the Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus. The caucus was formed in 2015 to raise awareness about the need for adequate protections for private-sector and government employees who report wrongdoing.

2016: Votes on Gun Control Bills After Orlando Shooting

In 2016, following the Orlando nightclub shooting, Thom Tillis voted for Republican bills that aimed to increase funding for the federal background check system and delay gun sales for 72 hours for individuals on the terrorist watchlist. However, he voted against Democratic bills that sought to ban individuals on the terrorist watchlist from purchasing guns and require background checks at gun shows and during online sales.

March 2017: Vote on Broadband Consumer Privacy Proposal

In March 2017, Thom Tillis voted for the Broadband Consumer Privacy Proposal that removed the FCC's internet privacy rules, which allowed internet service providers to sell customers' browsing history without their permission.

November 2017: Opposition to EPA Nomination

In November 2017, Thom Tillis opposed President Trump's nomination of Michael Dourson for a role at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

2017: Condemnation of Rohingya Genocide

In 2017, Thom Tillis was among 21 senators who signed a letter condemning the genocide of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar.

2017: Aligned himself with the president

In 2017, Tillis stated he had not deviated once from supporting any nomination or vote that the president supports.

2017: Proposal for Undocumented Youth Residency

In 2017, amid moves by President Trump to cancel DACA, Thom Tillis proposed legislation to allow some undocumented youth brought to the U.S. as children to apply for renewable five-year residency, and eventually citizenship, as a more conservative alternative to the bipartisan DREAM Act.

2018: Beneficiary of NRA Funding in Congress

As of 2018, Thom Tillis was the third-largest beneficiary of funding from the National Rifle Association (NRA) in Congress.

2018: Legislation to Compensate for ACA Preexisting Conditions Requirement

In 2018, amid attempts to repeal the ACA, Thom Tillis introduced legislation intended to compensate for the ACA's requirement that insurers cover people with preexisting conditions. The bill was criticized for loopholes, and Tillis later stated it was intended to start a discussion.

February 2019: Opposition to Trump's National Emergency Declaration

In February 2019, Thom Tillis wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post opposing President Trump's national emergency declaration concerning the southern border, citing concerns about executive overreach. The declaration diverted funding from the Department of Defense to build a border wall between the United States and Mexico.

December 2019: Garland Tucker dropped out of primary race

In December 2019, Garland Tucker, a conservative businessman, dropped out of the Republican primary race after spending $1.3 million on his campaign after Trump endorsed all incumbent Republican senators up for election in 2020, including Tillis.

2019: Letter to EPA Regarding PFAS

In 2019, Thom Tillis was one of 20 senators who signed a letter asking the EPA to regulate the levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water due to reports that they would not be regulated otherwise.

April 2020: Concerns About Internet Archive's National Emergency Library

In April 2020, Thom Tillis, as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee's intellectual property panel, expressed concerns that the Internet Archive's "National Emergency Library" initiative, which expanded access to its 1.4 million-book collection during the COVID-19 shutdown, violated copyright law.

May 2020: Vote Against Amendment to FISA

In May 2020, Thom Tillis voted against an amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that would have barred warrantless surveillance of web browser history.

September 2020: Status of Medicaid Expansion in North Carolina

As of September 2020, North Carolina remained one of only 12 states not to have expanded Medicaid, due to legislation Thom Tillis led in the state House of Representatives, which prevented the governor from expanding the program.

2020: North Carolina second in solar energy production

In 2020, North Carolina was second in solar energy production.

2020: Support for Soleimani Assassination

In 2020, Thom Tillis expressed support for the US military's assassination of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani via drone strike at Baghdad International Airport.

2020: Reelected to the U.S. Senate

In 2020, Thom Tillis was reelected to the United States Senate.

2020: Pressure and Reversal on Emergency Declaration

In 2020, after facing pressure from President Trump and conservatives, Thom Tillis reversed his previous opposition and voted in favor of Trump's national emergency declaration concerning the southern border.

January 2021: Voted with Trump's stated positions

As of January 2021, Tillis voted with Trump's stated positions 90% of the time.

May 28, 2021: Vote Against Independent Commission for Capitol Attack

On May 28, 2021, Thom Tillis voted against the creation of an independent commission to investigate the January 6, 2021, United States Capitol attack.

August 2021: Statement on Accountability for Capitol Attack

In August 2021, Thom Tillis stated that "many involved" in the January 6, 2021, United States Capitol attack "needed to be held accountable and go to prison."

2021: Amendment on Commercial Streaming of Copyrighted Material

In 2021, Thom Tillis inserted an amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 that made the unauthorized commercial streaming of copyrighted material a felony, potentially leading to a three-year prison sentence for violators.

July 2022: Potential Support for Bipartisan Same-Sex Marriage Bill

In July 2022, Thom Tillis indicated that he would "probably" support a bipartisan bill aimed at codifying same-sex marriage in the United States.

November 2022: Description of Senate Same-Sex Marriage Bill

In November 2022, Thom Tillis described the Senate's same-sex marriage bill as "'a good compromise... based on mutual respect for our fellow Americans'".

November 29, 2022: Vote for Respect for Marriage Act

On November 29, 2022, Thom Tillis voted in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act, which successfully passed the Senate and was subsequently enacted. This law repealed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and codified rights to both same-sex and interracial marriage into federal law.

2022: Vote Against Honoring our PACT Act

In 2022, Thom Tillis was among the 11 senators who voted against the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022, which aimed to fund research and benefits for up to 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic substances during their service. Tillis expressed concerns regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs' ability to effectively implement the legislation.

2022: Support for Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

In 2022, Thom Tillis was one of 15 Republican senators who supported the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a bill that included funding for state red flag laws, school safety resources, enhanced background checks for buyers under 21, and penalties for straw purchases.

2023: Became Senior U.S. Senator

In 2023, Thom Tillis became the senior U.S. Senator for North Carolina upon Richard Burr's retirement.

February 2025: Comments on Vladimir Putin

In February 2025, Thom Tillis called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal and the "greatest threat of democracy in my lifetime". He also described Putin as a liar, murderer, and a man responsible for ordering systematic torture, kidnapping, and rape of innocent civilians.

May 2025: Opposition to Ed Martin Nomination

In May 2025, Thom Tillis publicly announced his opposition to the confirmation of Ed Martin, President Trump's nominee for United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. Tillis cited Martin's defense of rioters involved in the January 6 United States Capitol attack as the reason for his opposition, leading to the withdrawal of Martin's nomination.

June 29, 2025: Announcement not to seek reelection

On June 29, 2025, Tillis announced he would not seek reelection to a third term in 2026.

2025: Allegations Regarding Hegseth Nomination

In 2025, Thom Tillis allegedly told Pete Hegseth's ex-sister-in-law that a sworn statement about Hegseth's alcohol abuse and abuse of his second wife would influence his vote on Hegseth's nomination. After she provided the statement, Tillis ultimately voted to confirm Hegseth despite initial concerns.