Retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis gets Donald Trump off his chest…..

“I’ve made it clear to the president that my beef is with people who are giving him some sense that some of the decisions he makes are not without significant consequence,” he said. “And the consequence, in my opinion, is his legacy, and our election in November.”

Tillis announced last year that he would retire after two terms in the Senate, even as he’s relatively-young-for-a-senator at 65 years old, and he’s since been one of his conference’s most frequent troublemakers for Trump. He was a one-man blockade for Kevin Warsh’s Federal Reserve nomination until the Justice Department dropped its pursuit of Jerome Powell, and he has sunk nominees seen as Jan. 6 apologists. He said he is ready to “nuke” the administration’s new “anti-weaponization” fund.

And while he batted down the notion that he’s now in his YOLO era — “I’ve been YOLOing all my life” — he acknowledged that he can now speak out without having to worry about having his words used against him by Democrats or members of his own party back home.

Tillis’ political freedom has made him stand out in the Senate for being willing to say what many of his GOP colleagues are thinking but won’t put their name to. But while Trump has publicly criticized the senator at times, Tillis said the two still have a good, professional relationship.

“We’ve continued to have solid communications,” Tillis said. “But I’m not going to kiss this man’s ass or anybody else’s when I believe he’s not in a good place.”…..

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I think you’re probably going to see an increasing number of people disagree with the president as the primary cycles move on, and his contribution in [general elections] really depends on what state you’re in.

As we get closer to November, people will be even more and more attuned to “How does this help me politically, how is it good, sound policy and politics?”…

A Q & A follows in the linked piece….

image….TIME