Michael Whatley, chairman of the national Republican Party, plans to run for an open Senate seat in North Carolina in 2026, with the blessing of President Donald Trump, after Trump’s daughter-in-law,

Trump said he would endorse his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, if she decided to run. He will now likely endorse Michael Whatley in his bid.

Trump-backed RNC Chair Michael Whatley jumps into North Carolina's Senate race as Lara Trump declines to run, creating a battle for one of 2026's competitive seats.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley is expected to run for the Senate in North Carolina, setting up a marquee race in next year’s midterms, two sources familiar with Whatley’s plans tell CNN.

A North Carolina native, Whatley led the state's GOP before he was selected by President Trump to lead the RNC in 2024.

President Donald Trump has picked the candidate he’s supporting to fill North Carolina’s open Senate seat in the 2026 election: Michael Whatley. Whatley is a North Carolina native who served as head of the state’s Republican Party before Trump selected him in 2024 as chairman of the Republican National Committee.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday his official endorsement of Michael Whatley for North Carolina's open Senate seat in the 2026 election.In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed his support for Whatley,

Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley intends to run for Senate in North Carolina, a source familiar with the matter told NBC News.