Tillis Returning to Cornelius, Reflects on Washington

By Jon Show – As his political career winds down, U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., says he plans to spend more time close to home, but don’t expect him to disappear from public life entirely.

Speaking to a gathering of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce, the longtime Cornelius resident reflected on the community that launched his political career and the challenges facing both Cornelius and North Carolina as growth continues across the region.

Introduced by former state Sen. Jeff Tarte, a longtime friend whose career followed a similar path, Tillis spent some of the discussion talking about the local issues that first drew him into public service.

The two men first met decades ago while coaching youth baseball in Cornelius. Later, both served on local boards, held elected office and eventually rose to leadership positions in Raleigh.

Tillis credited his service on the Cornelius Parks and Recreation Board as the unexpected starting point of his political career.

“It seemed like, hey, who’s against parks and recreation?” Tillis said. “Then you start solving problems, and the next thing you know, you’ve spent 20 years in elected office.”

Asked what role he might play after leaving the Senate, Tillis said he expects to remain engaged in public policy discussions but hopes to spend more time with family and return to the private sector.

“I’ll still be here,” Tillis said. “What I’d really like to do is have my own little cocoon here that’s very private, not talking about politics, and then go do business elsewhere.”

One area he expects to remain involved in is education, particularly K-12 performance and workforce development.

He also plans to work with students through Davidson College’s public policy programs.

Much of the discussion focused on growth and development in North Carolina, a topic Tillis knows well from his years on the Cornelius Town Board.

He argued that residents often oppose projects in the short term without recognizing their long-term benefits.

As an example, Tillis pointed to the land swap that eventually led to Robbins Park and the development surrounding Westmoreland Road.

“At the time, you would have thought I was destroying Cornelius as we knew it,” he said.

Instead, he said, the project ultimately produced parkland, recreational facilities and infrastructure improvements that have become community assets.

Tillis also defended development decisions around the Legacy apartment community and other projects that generated controversy when first proposed.

The challenge for elected officials, he said, is balancing public concerns with the community’s future needs.

“You’ve got to have elected leaders who will actually have some spine and make some tough decisions,” he said.

Looking ahead, Tillis said Cornelius and North Carolina must continue planning for growth rather than trying to stop it.

“Everybody who wants North Carolina to stop growing wants it to start dying,” he said. “If you’re not growing, you’re dying.”

Instead, he believes local and state leaders should focus on managing growth intelligently through infrastructure investments, transportation planning and economic development.

The lighter moments came near the end of the event when he met with media and was asked about the colorful socks peeking out beneath his suit pants.

The socks featured photos of his grandchildren.

Tillis laughed that he spent most of his business career wearing only dark socks until his wife persuaded him to try more colorful options, including a pair featuring former President George H.W. Bush.

“It was kind of a gateway sock,” he joked.

After nearly two decades in statewide and national office, Tillis appears ready for a different chapter. But if his remarks were any indication, Cornelius — and the issues that first drew him into public service — will continue to occupy much of his attention.