ᵻlˈɛktᵻd æz ɐ mˈɛmbɚɹ ʌvðə ɹᵻpˈʌblɪkən pˈɑːɹɾi tə ðə fˈɔːɹɾifˈɜːst kˈɑːŋɡɹəs, tˈɪlmən sˈɜːvd fɹʌm mˈɑːɹtʃ fˈoːɹ, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti nˈaɪn, tə mˈɑːɹtʃ θɹˈiː, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti wˈʌn,  bˌʌt wʌz nˌɑːɾə kˈændᵻdˌeɪt fɔːɹ ɹᵻnˌɑːmᵻnˈeɪʃən ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti.
Elected as a member of the Republican Party to the Forty-first Congress, Tillman served from March 4, 1869, to March 3, 1871,  but was not a candidate for renomination in 1870.