Fifteen years ago, Phil Berger and Thom Tillis rode the Republican/Tea Party tide to power in Raleigh.
Today, they’re mere pawns in Donald Trump’s Republican Party.
They personify what the party has become
Berger has stayed put as Senate president pro-tem, determined to outdo Marc Basnight’s long reign and undo the progressive legislation that Democrats passed then.
Tillis went from the speaker’s office to the U.S. Senate. Like all Senators, no doubt, he dreamed of the White House.
Now, Tillis’ political career is ending – because he opposed Trump’s healthcare cuts to 600,000 North Carolinians.
Berger feared that a primary challenge next year would end his career.
So, at Trump’s behest, he had the legislature arbitrarily redraw congressional districts to protect Republicans’ tenuous U.S. House majority.
In exchange, Trump endorsed Berger.
Tillis did the right thing for North Carolina.
Berger did the right thing for himself – and for Trump.
The Republican creed today is: Ask not what you can do for your country; ask what you can do for Trump.
The News & Observer photo.
