President Donald Trump’s grip on the GOP is eroding the party’s ideological center, as many lawmakers conclude there’s little room left for compromise — or for them.
Among the latest to bow out are Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), two Republicans known for bipartisan deal-making, whose departures highlight the mounting pressure facing centrists in a party increasingly defined by loyalty to Trump.
Tillis broke with Trump last week by voting against the president’s sweeping domestic policy bill, citing his concerns that its Medicaid provisions could shutter rural hospitals in North Carolina. Trump quickly lashed out on social media and said he was meeting with potential primary challengers.
The next day, Tillis announced he wouldn’t run for reelection in 2026, saying, “It’s become increasingly evident that leaders who are willing to embrace bipartisanship, compromise, and demonstrate independent thinking are becoming an endangered species.”
The White House swiftly dismissed his concerns. “The senator was wrong,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a briefing. “The president put out a Truth Social post addressing it, and then the senator announced he’s no longer running for office anymore, so I think that case has been closed.”
The response rattled many on Capitol Hill. Several GOP strategists said it reinforced fears that centrist voices, even those with strong records of supporting Trump’s agenda, are being pushed out.
“It’s not like Tillis was a constant thorn in [Trump’s] side,” said a Senate GOP strategist, pointing to his past votes to confirm nominees like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. ”One vote and he’s out. He should have been given the space to do what’s right for his constituents, especially considering his vote didn’t sink the legislation.”
Bacon, a self-described “traditional conservative,” said he won’t run again in June either, citing growing divides in the GOP over foreign policy, trade, and what he called the “cult of personality” surrounding Trump. He’s criticized Trump’s tariff policies, posture toward Russia, and even his support for Elon Musk’s DOGE initiative. “There’s a tug of war right now within our party,” he said.
Bacon has represented Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, a competitive, Omaha-based seat won by former Vice President Kamala Harris, since 2016. With his exit, Democrats see a prime pickup opportunity in the state’s lone “blue dot” district.
“Some of these people want to be bipartisan,” said Casey Burgat, a former Hill staffer and politics professor at George Washington University. “But they recognize that if they’re seen as too compromising, they’re going to be replaced by someone who promises to stand up to the other side.”
That pressure is growing as primary elections, dominated by ideologically driven voters, increasingly determine who makes it to Washington. “This is the result of over a decade of declining competitive districts,” Burgat said. “Now, bipartisanship is a word that will get you primaried more than it’ll get you reelected.”
As dissenting voices fade, Trump’s grip on legislative strategy, appointments, and party messaging has only tightened. A growing constellation of conservative influencers is helping enforce that control, amplifying attacks on Republicans deemed insufficiently loyal.
One of the most prominent is Laura Loomer, a Trump devotee, online provocateur, and MAGA activist, with 1.7 million followers on X. She recently slammed Tillis for “falling on his sword” over Medicaid and regularly brands GOP senators “weak” for defying Trump. Her posts often circulate widely in pro-Trump media and, according to aides, can generate real political headaches.
That dynamic is reshaping decisions in real time. Earlier this year, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) expressed concern over Hegseth’s nomination as defense secretary, citing his record on military sexual assault. After backlash from Trump-aligned voices, she ultimately voted to confirm him. In the aftermath, reports have emerged that Ernst may be rethinking whether to run for another term, though the reasons behind her deliberation remain unclear.
“I thought we were going to see more [senators] stand up to [Trump] and vote against his Cabinet picks,” said one Republican operative, speaking on the condition of anonymity to reflect candidly on the situation. “But they all fell in line.”
Some in the party warn that this approach could cost Republicans in November. Chris Pack, a longtime GOP strategist and former NRCC official, said Trump-aligned influencers are short-sighted when they target lawmakers in swing districts.
“When you have a Republican in a seat won by a Democrat like Kamala Harris, realizing that elected officials need to be more bipartisan in their vote should be common sense,” he explained. “But, it’s not because it’s all about getting clicks and likes and retweets for these influencers.”
Not every Trump critic is facing retaliation. While Trump targeted Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), even backing a super PAC to unseat him, he’s stayed silent on Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), who also voted against the “big, beautiful bill.”
Burgat said that silence may be strategic. “Trump ignoring Fitzpatrick’s vote against him suggests that either he or his team recognizes that if he puts his thumb on the scale, that seat is one of the most likely to flip.”
Democrats, too, are seeing their center thin out. This year, Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) announced plans to retire. Their decisions followed announcements by Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) in 2023 and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) in 2024, both former Democrats who left the party to become independents before ultimately deciding not to run again.
The broader shift began during Trump’s first term, when a wave of Republicans opted not to seek reelection. Sens. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Bob Corker (R-TN), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Ben Sasse (R-NE) all chose to step aside rather than face increasingly Trump-aligned electorates. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), who voted to convict Trump during the 2020 impeachment trial, also declined to run for reelection in 2024.
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), one of Trump’s most outspoken critics, voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act in 2017. He died the following year after a battle with brain cancer.
That same period saw a steady stream of more centrist House Republicans, such as Reps. Charlie Dent (R-PA), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Dave Reichert (R-WA) opt out, citing rising dysfunction and extremism. More recently, Reps. Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), key figures in the Jan. 6 investigation, were pushed out. Cheney lost to a Trump-backed challenger; Kinzinger chose not to run amid threats and political isolation.
“There is little wiggle room in the conference for differing opinions,” Burgat said. “If you stand up to the Trump norm, there’s an outright expectation of loyalty, and if not, he’ll back a primary challenger or take to social media to replace you.”
Former Vice President Mike Pence pushed back on the idea that Trump has completely reshaped the GOP.
“I think President Trump, as presidents should, has changed aspects of the agenda of the Republican Party,” Pence said in a recent CNN interview. “But I don’t think he’s changed the Republican Party.”
Still, the pattern among elected officials suggests otherwise.
“Some of these members still want to serve,” Burgat said. “But they’re finding the job completely unsatisfying and unworthy of their time. And that speaks not just to them, but to the state of the institution itself.”
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More retirements are likely on the horizon. Republicans hold a narrow House majority, and about a dozen incumbents are running for Senate or governor. Strategists expect a new wave of exits after the August recess, as lawmakers weigh whether they still see a place for themselves in Washington.
As the GOP charts its path forward, Pack urges the party to focus on winning general elections rather than settling scores in primaries.
“Stop thinking the game ends at halftime. The game ends on Election Day in November,” he said. “You can either get a participation trophy or a vote to hold the gavel.”