BORDER/GOP/SENATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Two weeks ago, Sen. Thom Tillis said President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration violated the separation of powers and created a dangerous precedent, stating in an op-ed that he would vote to reverse it. On Thursday [3-14-19], the North Carolina Republican flipped and sided with Trump on the border vote. While a dozen Senate Republicans joined Democrats to support a resolution undoing Trump’s move to fund a border wall, Tillis and all but one other Republican up for reelection in 2020 — Sen. Susan Collins of Maine — stuck with the president. The list includes Sen. Cory Gardner of blue-trending Colorado and Sen. Martha McSally, who was appointed this year but will face Arizona voters again in 2020 after losing a tough race in 2018. The vote underscores how little Republicans on the ballot in 2020 want to break with the president, even on an issue that divided the party and in states where Trump’s approval rating is low. And nothing illustrated why like Tillis’ bout of public indecision, which drew condemnation and open talk of a primary challenge from North Carolina Republicans — just as the first-term senator begins revving up his battleground-state reelection campaign, which will need strong support from the GOP base.”
–James Arkin and John Bresnahan, “‘Beware the fury of Trump’: 2020 GOP senators back president on border,” Politico, March 14, 2019 9:33 am