Fact Check: "Tillis held Senate seat since 2015, defeating incumbent Kay Hagan."
What We Know
Thom Tillis was elected to the United States Senate from North Carolina in the 2014 election, defeating the incumbent Democratic senator Kay Hagan. The election took place on November 4, 2014, and was one of the most closely watched races that year. Tillis, who was the Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives at the time, won the election with approximately 48.8% of the vote, while Hagan received about 47.3% (source-1). This election was significant as it marked the first time a sitting senator from North Carolina lost re-election since 2008 (source-2).
Analysis
The claim that Thom Tillis has held the Senate seat since 2015 is accurate. He officially took office on January 6, 2015, after winning the election against Hagan. The election results confirm that Tillis defeated Hagan by a margin of about 45,000 votes, making it a competitive race (source-3).
The sources used to verify this claim are credible. The official election results from the North Carolina State Board of Elections provide definitive data on the vote counts and percentages (source-1). Additionally, the Wikipedia entry on the 2014 Senate election offers a comprehensive overview of the election context and outcomes, which aligns with the official results (source-2). The New York Times also reported on the election, highlighting the competitive nature of the race and the political dynamics involved (source-3).
Overall, the evidence from these sources supports the claim that Tillis has held his Senate seat since 2015 after defeating Hagan.
Conclusion
Verdict: True
Thom Tillis has indeed held his Senate seat since 2015, having won the election against incumbent Kay Hagan in 2014. The evidence from multiple reliable sources confirms the accuracy of this claim.
