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Tangier Island mayor Ooker Eskridge and his crabbing companion Bella shoving out of Cod Harbor at sunrise.
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Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.
This week, From and Fuller discuss Elon Musk’s plans to create a third party in time for the midterms. Al and Craig also chat about how the Jeffrey Epstein case is dividing MAGA supporters.
This video podcast is approximately sixteen minutes in length.
To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:
Background
While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.
The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.
Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.
From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”
Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”
For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.
Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine. He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.
With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.
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It is that time of the year. The hydrangeas are blooming everywhere. Mostly pink, but some blue hydrangeas are brightening our gardens. In my garden, gooseneck loosestrife is also blooming, it is a beautiful companion flower that has a white flower head in the shape of a goose neck and head.
Not only is it time to enjoy them outside, but hydrangeas also sparkle inside. It is an inexpensive way to bring beauty into our homes.
I looked for research on why bringing flowers inside is a good idea. I only found two studies, both commissioned by floral associations.
But there is something to be said about fresh flowers in your home. They brighten up the indoors, they bring the outdoors inside. Flowers make our home just a little prettier. Some people enjoy the scents, especially those from peonies whose sweet scent wafts throughout the room.
Flowers make us feel better. Hospitals have green areas and many patients have some kind of floral arrangement supplied by a caring person.
Just gazing at flowers can reduce stress. They make me smile every time I look at them.
Recently, I received a generous floral arrangement, it made my day. To be surrounded by such beautiful flowers that a loving person sent to me…how can I feel anything but joy?
There is some research that supports the benefits of flowers in the home and office. A Rutgers University study found that there is a link between flowers and life satisfaction. They concluded that presence of flowers in the environment triggers happy emotions and heightens feelings of satisfaction.
A study funded by a floral association in 2000 found that having fresh flowers in a workspace increased problem-solving abilities, boosted creative thoughts, and helped workers generate ideas. Participants in this eight-month study performed a series of problem-solving tasks in three common office environments: a workplace with plants and flowers, a workplace with abstract sculptures, and a workplace with no embellishments. Both male and female participants demonstrated more innovative thinking and generated more ideas and original solutions in settings with plants and flowers. Men who participated in the study generated 15% more ideas when working in the plant and flower surroundings. Females were more creative and flexible when plants and flowers were in the workspace.
Some of us just love flowers. On the Internet, I found that people who love flowers are described as having traits like kindness, sensitivity, and an appreciation for beauty and nature. Flower lovers are also frequently associated with being thoughtful, nurturing, and observant. But this is written by people who love flowers or people in the business of flowers, so I don’t give it much credence.
But what we do know is that flowers bought in the grocery store, delivered by a florist or picked from your backyard, just make the house a little bit happier.
Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.
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I spent the Fourth of July weekend with family in Rehoboth. It wasn’t the whole clan, just six adults, four sunny days, delicious meals, and a sandy beach. At one point, one of us—no names will be used here—decided he wanted a watermelon mojito for his evening cocktail. Fortunately, the garden delivered, and so, after a post-beach outdoor shower, it was game on.
Personally, I’m not much of a mojito guy and less of a watermelon mojito guy, but I was intrigued. (Please don’t misunderstand: I have nothing against watermelons. A slice of watermelon with a pinch of salt goes a long way with me on a hot summer day, but mixed in a cocktail…meh.) Anyway, this was the first watermelon I had encountered this summer, and I was glad to see its juicy redness which looked like an old friend that would pair well with a sprig of muddled mint and a shot of rum. Maybe worth a try after all…
Think about watermelons: you’re a kid again and you’e holding a big grin of watermelon. It’s an explosion of color, texture, flavor, and juiciness. Messy, too: you can have a seed-spitting contest while the juice dribbles down your chin, staining your white t-shirt. Who cares? It’s summer and you don’t need a shirt anyway.
These days, watermelons are ubiquitous: they are grown in climes from tropical to temperate and there are literally more than a thousand varieties worldwide. They’re old, too: a few years ago, scientists traced 6,000 year-old watermelon seeds found in the Libyan desert back to an ancestor plant in West Africa. But those first watermelons were tart. It took some savvy Romans to figure out how to breed a sweet, pulpy variety.
Watermelons are technically a large fruit with a hard rind surrounding a modified berry called a pepo. They have a high water content (as much as 91% of a watermelon is water!) and can be stored for eating in dry seasons. They arrived in the New World with the Spanish explorers who settled Florida in the 16th Century. A hundred years later, they had found their way up to New England and down to Central and South America. In the Civil War era, they were often cultivated by free black farmers and became a symbol for the abolition of slavery. Sadly, that symbol of freedom morphed into a racist stereotype during the Jim Crow era. Sigh.
Frida Kahlo’s last painting, completed just days before her death in 1954, depicted varieties of watermelons. (It’s the image that accompanies this Musing.) The painting is a fitting and vibrant conclusion to the artist’s short and tragic life, rich in color contrasts, curves, and angles. It also contains a mournful message from the artist: Kahlo inscribed “Vida la Viva”—“Long Live Life!”— on the central melon wedge at the bottom of the canvas, an ironic commentary on her pain-filled existence due to polio, a terrible bus accident, and multiple surgeries.
But perhaps the message isn’t so mournful after all: maybe the artist is showing us that once our own shell is cut open, it reveals an inner life that is vibrant, fresh, and sweet. Also, the many seeds of the watermelon, like those of the pomegranate in Greek mythology, symbolize fertility and immortality. Once the fruit is gone, the seeds carry the promise of new life forward into eternity.
Like a family.
I like that interpretation.
I’ll be right back.
Jamie Kirkpatrick is a writer and photographer who lives on both sides of the Chesapeake Bay. His editorials and reviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Washington College Alumni Magazine, and American Cowboy Magazine. His most recent novel, “The Tales of Bismuth; Dispatches from Palestine, 1945-1948” explores the origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is available on Amazon and in local bookstores. His newest novel, “The People Game,” hits the market in February, 2026. His website is musingjamie.net.
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Just when I thought things couldn’t get much worse, they did. Our fearless leader had the brilliant idea of creating a migrant detention center in the environmentally precarious Florida Everglades. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis got on board quickly—surprise, surprise.
The center will house up to 3,000 undocumented migrants while they await due process (so they say) before they are sent out of the country. It will cost $450 million annually for the state to operate the facility. That’s right–$450 million each year. Florida provided the initial $450 million needed to create and operate the center and will seek reimbursement through FEMA. (FYI, FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. Does it sound like an appropriate use of funds to you?)
Trump claims that it’s okay to disrupt the Everglades fragile ecosystem because there already is an airport there. As usual, he is wrong. In 1968, planners envisioned a large airport but backlash from conservationists stopped the construction after just one small runway was built. The backlash inspired the Florida Everglades movement and the creation of several environmental watchdog groups.
Let’s quickly review just how special the Everglades are.
The land is sacred to several Native American tribes that reside in 15 villages within the preserve.
Often called a river of grass, the Everglades are 86 percent wetlands surrounded by the Big Cyprus National Preserve. (Note the word Preserve.) Nine distinct habitats coexist in the Everglades, including cypress swamps, sawgrass marshes, and the largest mangrove ecosystem in the Western hemisphere.
The Everglades are the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles coexist in the same habitat. They are a haven for many endangered species, including the Florida panther, the West Indian manatee, and breeding grounds for tropical wading birds and home to 350 bird species.
One in three Floridians rely on the Everglades for their drinking water.
A coalition of environmental groups has filed a lawsuit claiming that the detention center did not undergo any of the environmental reviews that Federal law requires. Let’s watch what happens next.
In the few short days of its existence, the center has already flooded. (Just last week severe flooding killed at least 82 people in Texas.) Hurricane season is right around the corner, and it is unlikely that the center will meet hurricane codes. The risk of mosquito-borne diseases is significant. Heat and humidity in the area can charitably be described as brutal. Add to all that, a location that is virtually inaccessible to lawyers and family members.
Trump could care less about environmental issues. He has rolled back some of the nation’s key environmental safeguards which will profoundly affect the air we breathe and the water we drink. He has gutted funding for the agencies involved in the Chesapeake Bay restoration, including funds that restore and protect native species such as oysters, blue crabs, and striped bass.
Beside the horrific environmental implications of this center, one must also consider the racist overtones. Several studies have shown that racial resentment has contributed to Trump’s political ascendance. Clearly many of Trump’s claims smack of racism. He claimed that Obama wasn’t a legal American citizen. He said Haitians were eating the dogs and cats. He called Mexicans rapists. He said Harris was a DEI candidate. He said migrants murdered hundreds of women and girls. He tells nearly all-white crowds they have good genes. And now he is sending primarily Black and Brown migrants to what many claim resembles a German concentration camp.
I must admit all the July 4th celebrations rang hollow for me this year. It no longer feels like the land of the free and the home of the brave. There is no “crowning thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.” Instead, the land that I love is being destroyed piece by piece. Wake up America.
Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.
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Following Richard Nixon’s election as President in 1968, John Mitchell, Nixon’s campaign manager, was asked by the media what to expect when Nixon assumed office.
Mitchell said prophetically long before Watergate, “Watch what we do, not what we say.”
Those words apply to many candidates for public office today.
The are at least two recent examples in Maryland.
Prior to leaving office after two terms, Republican Governor Larry Hogan announced that he had no interest in running for an open U.S. Senate seat in Maryland, formerly held by Ben Cardin.
Hogan went as far as saying his experience as a business executive and eight years serving as governor left him reluctant to serve in a deeply divided legislative body marked by lengthy and often bitterly partisan dialogue and decision-making.
Then, in February 2024, Hogan entered the Senate race, where he easily won the Republican nomination in a primary election but lost in the general election with 42.8% of votes cast.
In 2022, Wes Moore was elected as Hogan’s Democratic successor with 64.5% of votes cast.
Almost immediately following his election, Moore was widely viewed by political pundits in Maryland, Washington DC, and nationally as a potential presidential candidate in 2028.
To date, Moore has said early and often regularly he is not pursuing that goal.
Despite saying that, it has been most interesting watching media reports of what Moore has done in the political arena during his first term as governor.
Moore:
Spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
Campaigned for Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Michigan.
Campaigned for Democratic candidates in Virginia.
Appeared on The View where Joyce Behar told him he looked “very presidential.”
Interviewed with CNN following his college commencement speech in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Attended an Aspen Colorado fundraiser hosted by Damian O’Doherty, a Maryland political operative and co-founder of Baltimore based KO Public Affairs.
He shared his thoughts on “bold, purposeful leadership” on a podcast with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, and CBS Evening News co-anchor John Dickerson.
Delivered a keynote speech at the South Carolina Democratic Blue Palmetto Dinner.
Attended a fish fry hosted by Congressman Jim Clyburn who is widely credited for a Joe Biden 2020 primary campaign resurgence when that campaign was stalled.
Met with former political advisors to Barack Obama and Joe Biden to discuss a presidential path to the White House through South Carolina.
Spoke to hundreds of political insiders in South Carolina about his personal biography and on his record as Maryland Governor.
Spoke at an NAACP “Fight for Freedom” Dinner in Detroit Michigan.
Spoke at the Virginia Democratic Party’s Blue Commonwealth Gala.
Ultimately, all this travel and schmoozing by Moore may be for naught.
Next year, Moore must win both the Democratic primary election and the general election in Maryland.
The conventional wisdom that he will win both is far from a given.
In polling done earlier this year, Moore’s job performance approval fell to 55% from 61% from polling done in the prior month.
These poll results occurred before Moore signed into law a wide range of tax increases, new taxes, fee increases, and new fees that were approved in the 2025 general assembly session.
As I write this, Moore has an opponent in the 2026 Democratic primary and three potential opponents seeking a gubernatorial nomination in the 2026 Republican primary.
He will also have a Green Party candidate in the 2026 general election.
In the case of the Democratic and Republican primaries especially, but not exclusively, there may even be even more candidates deciding to run.
One wild card in the Republican primary is former Governor Hogan.
Despite his failed U.S. Senate run, a survey done after Hogan’s two terms as governor showed he had a 77% job approval rating that included an 81% approval rating with Democratic voters.
Hogan has not yet announced his decision on seeking a third term ,which the state constitution allows since it would not be a third successive term.
Assuming Moore is the successful Democratic candidate for governor, there is also the hard political reality that not meeting expected vote totals in elections that any candidate is expected to win can be an insurmountable roadblock on a journey to the White House.
Preeminent Maryland political analyst Len Foxwell has observed — “What we have seen in the past where prospective gubernatorial candidates and prospective presidential candidates have been derailed because of weaker than expected showings back home.”
Regardless of who is elected Maryland Governor in 2026, voters in that election cycle and every election cycle in Maryland would be best served if there was no longer a regular mismatch between what some candidates of every party affiliation say and what they do.
David Reel is a public affairs and public relations consultant who lives in Easton.
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I’m in my Astronomy class studying the stars, and here’s why I think you should, too.
Vera C. Rubin first taught us that there is more to the cosmos than we can see. Born in 1928, she was a brilliant child, the second daughter of two Bell Telephone employees, who attended Vassar to study Astronomy. During a summer internship before her senior year, she met and fell in love with Bob Rubin, a physics student at Cornell. Vera married him that same year, graduating from Vassar as a newlywed that spring.
Like her husband, she wanted to continue her studies, so she applied to Princeton to pursue an advanced degree, but Princeton refused to admit her for one simple reason. This dazzling, tenacious scholar was a woman. Oops.
Undeterred, she turned down Harvard and attended Cornell for her Master’s, Georgetown for her Ph. D, studying at night to get those advanced degrees while her husband taught at Cornell, and she gave birth to four children. Then, in 1978, with a colleague, Kent Ford, she proved the existence of Dark Matter, the mysterious, invisible substance that comprises 85% of the known universe. Thanks, Princeton. Somewhere, there must be a very old, long-retired Admissions Director saying, “My bad.”
When you look at a galaxy, any galaxy, you see its stars rotating around its central black hole, and you would think the stars farthest from the center would be rotating more slowly than those in tight orbits closest in. They are not.
The stars on the outer arms of galaxies, in the outermost disc lanes, are rotating just as fast as those at the center. How could this be? What is holding them to their galactic neighborhood at the same speed limit? Why hasn’t distance from the source of acceleration slowed their velocity?
Dark Matter. A real, but invisible architecture that affects us all.
Vera C. Rubin won many awards in her lifetime, but perhaps the most lasting tribute is the building of the Rubin Observatory Telescope (only one named for a woman). It is the largest digital camera on Earth and sits high in the Chilean mountains, where it will chart the entire southern sky as part of a 10-year project called the Legacy Survey of Space and Time. Each section will be captured 800 times, ten to 100 times faster than any other telescope ever built. Discoveries are already pouring in.
When astronomers don’t know what something is, they call it ‘dark’ – it’s a placeholder name for mystery that allows them to keep searching for answers until they illuminate their understanding, hence, Dark Matter and Dark Energy.
But I have a theory. What if Dark Matter is love?
Stay with me now.
An invisible mass… held in a field of potential…keeping us from flying apart.
Great discoveries often start with audacious theories, so who’s to say? Theoretical physicist Sabine Hossenfelder says there are three phases of coming to terms with things we don’t understand.
“Huh! That’s funny…”
“Curious and curiouser.”
“Well, damn.”
Laura J. Oliver is an award-winning developmental book editor and writing coach, who has taught writing at the University of Maryland and St. John’s College. She is the author of The Story Within (Penguin Random House). Co-creator of The Writing Intensive at St. John’s College, she is the recipient of a Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award in Fiction, an Anne Arundel County Arts Council Literary Arts Award winner, a two-time Glimmer Train Short Fiction finalist, and her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her website can be found here.
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It is hard for me to fathom. When did the White House and all the honor that goes with it become insufficient? Why would a President be selling things using his historic title and its symbolism conferred by the voters?
In case you are unaware of President Trump’s merchandising job, please take a look: https://gettrumpfragrances.com/. Or go further and check out his offerings on Amazon. Artificial intelligence reports that he has 54 offers of branded products for sale.
And let me recall as prologue the 33rd President Harry Truman who left the White House in 1953 for his family home in Independence, Missouri. The home was his principal asset. Trump, in contrast, was said by Forbes to be worth approximately seven billion dollars in 2024.
Truman, after leaving the White House, was offered high-paying corporate board positions among other ways to increase his wealth. History recalls his response:
“You don’t want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn’t belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it’s not for sale,”
Yep, that is a long time ago. But isn’t that where humanity goes to discover the base-line of morality? And if that is too big a word, what about honor? Or decency? Should we worry that generations following ours will regard service as one more financial transaction?
Going back a much shorter time recall Colonel (honorific) Tom Parker who managed Elvis Presley and then marketed him after his death. He even sold “I Hate Elvis” pins to profit from both sides.
I think Trump’s merchandising activity should be put to a vote to test the question—see if the people (voters) support the exploitation of the revered White House symbolism. An up or down vote on a resolution. We want a sense of the Congress as the public’s representatives.
The resolution, if it is kept simple, might be: “We, in the 119th United States Congress, knowing of the merchandising of the White House and its principal occupant, state our disapproval.” (Examples follow).
Now I know the language is sparse so undoubtedly drafts will replace drafts and maybe draw in President Donald J Trump’s wordsmiths. Almost regardless of the eventual outcome, Members of Congress will have to go on record. The President’s heretical departure from tradition will be tested. As will our Members of Congress.
Perhaps all lines of decorum have been erased. Maybe devotion to an individual requires submission. I doubt it, but a straight up test of the White House as a merchandising wing of the Presidency should be put to those who vote on our behalf.
Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al writes on themes from his book, Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books.
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Every morning, I rise at 5 a.m., wishing that I could sleep longer. But my circadian rhythm and the beautiful melodies of the birds prevent me from returning to my slumber. My dogs agree with the birds that it is time to rise. They are in a hurry to gulp down their meal.
I shower and dress. Then I go downstairs to make my morning tea. While the tea is steeping, I feed my impatient canines, who bark in eager anticipation.
After basic needs are cared for, I do my morning ritual of affirmation. Sometimes I light a candle but usually I just sit in a chair and thank God for all of my blessings. It is a very long list.
Then I catch up on emails and texts and read quietly. Pretty soon, it is time to take my excited little pals for a walk on the nature trail. We walk about a mile, which is as long as my elderly Maltese can manage with his damaged heart. They love their walk; it is a time to sniff all manner of scents that I cannot and do not wish to smell. They watch for bunnies and squirrels and hope that someday the leash gives out and they can catch them.
This is my routine, but I also refer to this as my ritual. So, I ask myself, what is the difference between a routine and a ritual? I typically treat the words as synonymous. But apparently there is a difference.
According to the experts, the difference between a ritual and a routine lies in their purpose. Routines are focused on efficiency and getting things done, while rituals add intention and meaning. Routines are usually done on autopilot, whereas rituals are approached with mindfulness and awareness.
So, based on this definition, most of my morning is a series of routines, with the exception of the affirmation of gratitude. While a regular walk in nature is often a ritual, my dogs prevent me from being lost in nature as I have to attend to their bodily and sensory needs.
Both routines and rituals are important. Routines allow me to get things done that I don’t want to do. Part of my morning routine is to make a list of what must be done that day…the interesting and dull. And since my list includes exercise and other healthy habits, it improves my well-being.
Routines provide structure and predictability which can reduce stress and anxiety, and improve focus and productivity. Experts believe that routines create a sense of control and predictability, reduce decision fatigue and improve concentration. If the list or routine includes healthy habits (e.g., exercise, diet, sleep schedule), it can improve physical well-being. My list allows me to schedule my day according to my tasks at hand.
Rituals, on the other hand, typically tap into a number of senses. Smell, visual, touch and hearing are all included in most rituals. Rituals have the benefit of enhancing social bonds (when it is a group ritual), connecting us to our values, reducing anxiety and stress, and increasing feelings of happiness and joy. Group rituals such as community gatherings can strengthen social connections. I play Mahjong with my neighbors, which has given me a better connection to community.
Rituals are a part of our everyday life. Religious services are full of rituals. In Christianity, it is the chants, the affirmations, the familiar songs sung in unison by the participants. The cadence and rhythm have a calming effect. Rituals are especially helpful during grief and loss, when positive energy is desperately needed. Mindfulness and affirmations can help reflect on what is important and align our actions with our values.
Routines and rituals, of course, can be hurtful if done to the extreme. Some people have obsessive-compulsive disorders that cause these rituals to take control. In addition, it is important to be gentle with ourselves, especially when we include health and wellness routines.
So, no matter how trivial, our routines and rituals are a part of our nature, and that’s a good thing.
Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.
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In Washington, D.C., a city used to surprises, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis delivered a big one on Sunday. After joining Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) as one of only two Republican votes against supporting a full Senate vote on President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” he announced he will not run for reelection in 2026.
Senator Tillis, a two-term senator, is only 65 years old, middle-aged compared to some of his colleagues. He might have run two or even three more times. But, thanks to President Trump, Tillis stated he will be going home to North Carolina to spend time with his family,
Tillis’ decision is good news for Democrats. They may pick up a seat that otherwise would have remained Republican.
But the decision is bad news for America. Immediately after Tillis announced his decision, Trump condemned and threatened him.
As Tillis put it, “I did my homework on behalf of North Carolinians, and I cannot support this bill in its current form. It would result in tens of billions of dollars in lost funding for North Carolina, including our hospitals and rural communities. This will force the state to make painful decisions like eliminating Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands in the expansion population and even reducing critical services for those in the traditional Medicaid population. “
Political scientists tell us that there are two types of representation in the Senate. Some senators vote with their party on most votes. Other senators do their best to represent their constituents. Tillis was one of those latter senators.
I would describe him as courageous. Trump offered this take on the senator: “Thom Tillis has hurt the great people of North Carolina. Even on the catastrophic flooding, nothing was done to help until I took office. Then a MIRACLE took place! Tillis is a talker and complainer, NOT A DOER! He’s even worse than Rand “Fauci” Paul!”
The President absolutely hates Senator Paul. Incidentally, Paul’s opposition to federal spending and increasing the debt limit are similar to the positions taken by our own Andy “Handgun” Harris. The difference, of course, is that Paul is willing to disagree with the President and vote against legislation inconsistent with his principles. Andy doesn’t have that problem. Remember he voted “present” on the Big Beautiful Bill in the House.
Thom Tillis will not be in the Senate after the 2026 election and, despite my disagreement with him on many issues, his retirement is unfortunate. The Senate needs more members willing to represent their constituents rather than more senators who rubber stamp their party leaders’ positions whether or not they agree with them. But more important is what Tillis’ retirement tells us about the Senate—It is not working.
Tillis was already tired of the fierce partisanship in the Senate before King Donald Trump conceived of a Big Beautiful Bill as the best means of preventing the Senate’s deliberation on the details of the Trump agenda. The bill represents Trump giving the middle finger to Congress, which is supposed to be a co-equal branch of government.
Tillis’ retirement tells us that the Senator concluded serving in the Senate is a waste of time. That conclusion should be deeply troubling to all of us, in part because so many other Republicans appear untroubled with Trump dictating the law of the land.
Maryland is fortunate to have Senate representation that contrasts with that of most Republicans. Senator Chris Van Hollen aggressively represents his constituents, as did former Maryland Senator Ben Cardin. It may be too early to say Senator Alsobrooks will uphold the same high standards, but initial indications are encouraging.
I wish Senator Tillis well. I hope his decision, as disappointing as it is, will prompt other Republicans to ask themselves an important question: Is the Trump agenda in the best interests of my constituents?
J.E. Dean writes on politics, government but, too frequently, on President Trump. A former counsel on Capitol Hill and public affairs consultant, Dean also writes for Dean’s Issues & Insights on Substack.
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