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WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Flake. Corker. Romney.

And now, Sen. Thom Tillis.

The roll call of Republican senators in the U.S. Congress who have called it quits, rather than endure a political career sideways with President Donald Trump, is long, notable — and apparently, still growing.

Tillis, the GOP senator from North Carolina, announced his decision not to seek reelection Sunday, a stunning moment, given its timing.

It arrived a day after Trump trashed Tillis online, threatening to campaign against him, after the senator revealed he would oppose Trump鈥檚 big tax breaks bill because of its deep cuts to Medicaid that he warned would devastate his state.

鈥淢y goal is not to undermine the president,鈥� Tillis told the Associated Press and others late Sunday night at the U.S. Capitol.

鈥淏ut why not do it right? And why not take the time to make sure that we鈥檙e not going to have unintended consequences, which will also have, I think, substantial political consequences next year if we鈥檙e not careful.”

The senator, like others before him, has run up against the limits of his own perceived truth-telling, particularly when it goes against the views of the president or threatens the White House agenda.

A tough reelection became tougher

Tillis’ reelection in the Tar Heel State was already expected to be difficult, a $600 million campaign, he said he was told. Democrats see the state as a prime pick-up opportunity in next year’s elections as they try to flip the seat and retake majority control of the Senate from Republicans.

Turning 65 later this year, Tillis said he had been weighing his decision, and having put a cancer diagnosis behind him was charting the next phase of his life. A former House speaker in North Carolina, he noted he has been in office for some 20 years.

But Trump鈥檚 unchallenged grip on the party, and his singular ability to not only tank political careers but also deeply influence the views of Republican voters, leaves little room for dissent.

Most GOP senators who confronted Trump during his first term 鈥� Arizona鈥檚 Jeff Flake, Tennessee鈥檚 Bob Corker and Utah鈥檚 Mitt Romney, who was the only Republican to vote to convict Trump in both of his Senate impeachment trials 鈥� have long since stepped aside.

Tillis bristled at those comparisons.

“No, no, no. Look, I am an unlikely senator,鈥� Tillis said.

He insisted, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like any of the trappings that many senators like up here. I like doing work. I like going home, and I like being with my family. That鈥檚 me.鈥�

Tillis wants Trump to succeed

Tillis, as he walked back to his Senate office, told the story of living in a trailer park in Nashville as a teen with his family, before branching out on his own.

At about 16, he had been a cook at a roadside diner, 鈥渓ike a Denny’s,鈥� he said, but found that the waiters made more money with tips, so he switched. He was grossing about $10,000 a year. Then he moved on to a warehouse job, earning about the same pay, and was able to move into the trailer of his own.

That鈥檚 one reason why he opposes Trump鈥檚 tax bill: he says it’s not the kind of relief the president is promising for working Americans. Take the president’s no tax on tips plan, he said.

鈥淭hom Tillis the waiter gets a tax break. Thom Tills the warehouse worker doesn鈥檛,鈥� he said.

鈥淲hy can鈥檛 we figure out a way to give it to both of them versus something that catches an applause line in Las Vegas?鈥�

Tillis went on, 鈥淚 would love to have told the president this story. Instead of people getting gimmicky and targeting things 鈥� and not looking at the inherent unfairness of that policy and the additional billions of dollars we have to spend on that 鈥� which is forcing the Medicaid debate.鈥�

He said, exasperated, 鈥淔olks, pull back.鈥�

Trump and Tillis talk

Tillis did talk with Trump over the past several days. On Friday night he said he had a good call with the president and shared his concerns with the bill.

But once the president lashed out against him Saturday night, that was about it.

“I told the president after that post that it鈥檇 probably be a good time for him to start looking for replacements,鈥� Tillis said

In a speech later Sunday, Tillis appeared somewhat liberated, free to publicly call the bill as he saw it, a betrayal of Trump’s promises.

鈥淚鈥檓 telling the president that you have been misled: You’re supporting the Senate mark will hurt people who are eligible and qualified for Medicaid,鈥� he thundered from the chamber floor.

Colleagues have been taking notice. Democrats in particular can鈥檛 help but remember another pivotal moment when Republicans were trying to cut health care and a single GOP senator stood up and said no.

Tillis, McCain and health care

Sen. John McCain famously voted thumbs down against the Republican plan to 鈥渞epeal and replace鈥� the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, in a stunning setback during Trump鈥檚 first term in the summer of 2017.

Tillis brushed off that comparison, too.

鈥淲e鈥檙e gonna get the tax bill done,鈥� he said.

But he said, the president has advisers that are 鈥減olitically too cute by half, and they鈥檙e having fun while we鈥檙e having to implement suboptimal policy that will degrade the enormous impact and the legacy that this president could otherwise have.鈥�

And as he heads for the exits next year, Tillis said 鈥渋f they continue to do this, I鈥檒l start spending some time focusing on just who those people are.鈥�