GREENSBORO, N.C. — A spokesperson for Representative Mark Walker says he may take on his fellow Republican, Senator Thom Tillis in a primary challenge. It would be a move from the House of Representatives to the more prestigious Senate.
But why would Walker fight against someone from his own party?
Mark Walker has said before he would not run against Senator Thom Tillis.
Back in June, his camp told politico: "after prayerful reflection and consideration, I am confident that my continued service in the House will best help our efforts to reclaim the majority."
So what's changed since then? One major thing is the area where he has to campaign to stay in the house of representatives.
Voter polls show us that big cities like Winston-Salem and Greensboro tend to vote for democrats. In his current district you only have a little bit of Greensboro, then a large rural area to balance it out. All that tends to vote for Republican, so it's a district he can win.
The courts struck down this map calling it partisan. In Representative Walker's new district almost all that rural Republican base goes away.
What about Senator Tillis? Why go after him?
Political pundits say the Senator has been vulnerable since he came out against President Trump using "national emergency" money to build a border wall. Tillis said he supported the wall, but felt there was a better way to fund.
It's also worth noting that Tillis ended up supporting Trump 99 percent of the time according to the political blog Roll Call.
And since then, the President has tweeted: "Thom Thillis of North Carolina has really stepped up to the plate. I give Thom my Full and Total Endorsement!"
So if Congressman Walker does run against Senator Tillis, it won't be an easy fight.
A spokesperson for Senator Tillis writes us: "As Senator Tillis said earlier this week, we will win the primary if we have one, and we're going to win the general election as well. Senator Tillis, like President Trump, wants to keep the focus on defeating his potential Democratic challengers and their socialist and open border policies."
