Special Interest cash-whore, gay rights champion, and border wall foe Thomas Roland Tillis is not interested in explaining himself to his own party’s voters. He never got 50 percent of the vote (primary OR general) when he was first elected to the US Senate in 2014. You’d think some bolstering of the base might be in order.

But, no. Thom’s NCGOPe comrades have done a bang-up job of sidelining and silencing conservatives in the state. Besides, plenty of those folks will simply hold their noses and fall in line. (Kinda like in 2014, eh? )

According to the drive-bys, the Tillis campaign (actually, more likely Paul “0-for-alot” Shumaker) is demanding FIVE debates with the eventual Democrat nominee.

Meanwhile , a debate challenge from Larry Holmquist — one of Tillis’s THREE primary opponents — has been sitting around ignored since January 13. Sharon Hudson and Paul Wright are also in the primary field.

For conservatives who still find Tillis just too darn slimy for their tastes, those are three respectable choices to park your vote with. (Or you can simply leave the line blank in the primary and general.)

I know. They look quite low-budget. But is it still about principles, or is it about letting DC lobbyists pick someone for us who will play nice with Mitch McConnell?