A possible source of the all the Tillis haterade (besides the dreaded mark of Rove) may be his curbstomping of an incumbent Republican State Rep. in the 2006 primary.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/03/06/4744098/senate-candidate-thom-tillis-first.html
http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=304776
Rhodes was appearent
It’s curious that on OurCampaigns (leftist), Rhodes was listed as “least effective”, yet elsewhere, he was regarded as a highly effective Conservative who helped to shine a spotlight on the unholy RINO-Rodent power arrangement.
I’ve endorsed Brannon. I’ve had more than a bellyful of establishment types in high office.
To finish that sentence, Rhodes was apparently well liked by conservative activists.
Amusingly, a liberal blog that calls Tillis “radical” and “far right”, pegs Rhodes as the “more reasonable Republican” that Tillis beat.
I know Tillis is a promoter of “a middle way in immigration reform.” You know what that means don’t you.