Michael Whatley to enter blockbuster Senate race after Lara Trump passes on run

Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman Michael Whatley will launch a bid for U.S. Senate, a source confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Whatley, who was among a cohort of potential candidates mulling bids to replace retiring Republican North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, will enter the 2026 North Carolina Senate race with President Trump’s support, according to Politico, which first reported Whatley’s bid. The president’s endorsement of the RNC chairman will likely avoid a contested primary and give Republicans a boost to defeat former Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper in a showdown that could be the most expensive race of the midterms.

Whatley’s entry into the race follows the president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, reportedly passing on a run. The president previously stated he would support Lara Trump, who co-chaired the RNC with Whatley during the 2024 cycle, if she had decided to seek the seat.

Whatley will face Cooper, a two-term governor, who left office in January. Cooper is also likely to avoid a messy primary and is expected to announce his candidacy as early as next week.

The looming Whatley-Cooper showdown comes as both Republicans and Democrats view the North Carolina contest as one of the most consequential races of the midterms.

Senate Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority and are eyeing seats in Georgia and Michigan to grow their ranks. Democrats believe the open North Carolina seat is one of their best pick-up opportunities to help retake Senate control. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, and other national Republican groups are expected to spend heavily to prevent the seat from flipping.

A Republican operative suggested that Whatley will be well-positioned to run a strong campaign.

The source told the DCNF that Whatley had been on the party’s radar as a potential candidate since the beginning of the year. Though Tillis had traditional incumbency advantages, his decision to break with the president at key moments left his standing lacking with the party’s base voters.

Many operatives believed a more pro-Trump Republican would be a stronger candidate in both the primary and the general election contest. Internal and public polling all indicated that a candidate more in step with the president would be in a stronger position to win the seat, per the source.

The NRSC proposed Whatley as a possible contender in January to replace Tillis in the event the incumbent GOP senator chose to retire, per the source. Tillis announced in June that he would not seek a third term following his fiery opposition to the president’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

NRSC chairman Tim Scott met with Whatley about a potential bid before the RNC chair made his decision to enter the Republican primary.

Whatley, who previously chaired the state North Carolina Republican Party, has strong ties to the state. His fundraising prowess while helming the RNC could also boost his run against Cooper.

The RNC raised $96.4 million during the first half of the year, eclipsing its Democratic counterpart by nearly $30 million, according to July Federal Election Commission filings from both committees.