Tillis backs Bishop as Democrats try to block US attorney nomination

Danielle Battaglia, The News & Observer (Raleigh) on Mar 19, 2026

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Sen. Thom Tillis stepped in and defended the nomination of former Rep. Dan Bishop to serve as U.S. attorney for North Carolina’s Middle District after Sen. Dick Durbin labeled Bishop a “MAGA extremist” with no prosecutorial experience.

“We couldn’t have gotten by with that with the Democratic president,” Durbin told the Committee on the Judiciary, where Bishop’s nomination was being debated. “But it’s a regular occurrence now.”

Durbin said the only qualification Bishop does have that matters to the White House is that Bishop voted against certifying the election of President Joe Biden on Jan. 6, 2021, and blamed Antifa, a decentralized left-wing, anti-facist group, for causing the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

The FBI and rioters have made clear there has been no evidence of an Antifa presence or involvement at the Capitol that day, and President Donald Trump pardoned all of the people convicted of crimes from the insurrection, around 1,500.

But Tillis, who is adamantly opposed to Jan. 6 conspiracies, stepped in and defended Bishop. He and Sen. Ted Budd, a Republican from Davie County, have supported Bishop’s nominations.

“I think most people can debate various aspects of my personality, but being a yes man or a MAGA extremist isn’t one of them,” Tillis told the committee. “ I’ve known Dan Bishop for a long time…. I think he’s a man of integrity, and I encourage everybody to vote for him.”

Republicans listened to Tillis, casting their votes in favor of Bishop. Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, locked eyes with Tillis and chuckled as he did so.

Democrats heeded the warning of Durbin, the committee’s top Democrat, and voted against him.

Despite Durbin’s efforts, Bishop’s nomination will now head to the full Senate for final approval after passing the Judiciary committee 12-10.

Bishop, 61, represented a Charlotte-area district of North Carolina in Congress from 2019-2025. He chose not to run for reelection in order to run for attorney general against former Rep. Jeff Jackson, a Democrat, who ultimately won. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District covers Durham and Greensboro.

Trump then appointed Bishop to serve as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget under Director Russell Vought.

Eight months later, Trump nominated him to serve as U.S. attorney. He’s currently serving in the role in an interim capacity.

Both positions required Senate approval.

Durbin spoke twice in the hearing about his concerns regarding Bishop, also bringing up his records as an attorney and past legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community.

“Bishop’s career…shows he will use that power to do the president’s bidding,” Durbin said. “As deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget…Mr. Bishop was Russ Vought’s right-hand man, wreaking havoc across the federal government.”

Durbin continued that Bishop “played a key role in OMB illegally withholding and restricting funds” appropriated by Congress.

Durbin also raised concerns that Bishop said the Supreme Court decided wrongly in a landmark case that legalized same-sex marriage. He brought up Bishop’s opposition to the Respect for Marriage Act, which legalized same-sex and interracial marriages.

Durbin did not mention that in North Carolina’s General Assembly, Bishop was the architect of the Bathroom Bill, which required transgender individuals to use the restroom that corresponded with the sex found on their birth certificate and not the one they identified with.

He did bring up Bishop’s career history.

“He does not have the requisite experience to serve as a U.S. attorney,” Durbin said. “Do you know what percentage of his legal work has been in criminal proceedings? Three percent, and he’s never served as a prosecutor. We know why he was nominated. He’s another MAGA extremist. Please vote no, senators.”

It’s not clear when Bishop’s nomination will go to the floor, or whether Bishop was present in Thursday’s hearing.