RNC Chairman Michael Whatley Plans to Enter North Carolina Senate Race With Trump Endorsement
This morning Politico exclusively reported that Republicans National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley plans to enter the North Carolina Senate with President Trump’s strong endorsement. With Tillis’ sudden decision to retire for the Senate, Republicans have been working to identify a strong candidate to challenge former Gov. Roy Cooper. With Whatley’s announcement, it confirms that President Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, will not seek the seat, and other potential Republican candidates will not enter the race.
Here is what President Trump had to say about Michael Whatley possibly entering the North Carolina Senate race:
To the Great People of North Carolina, one of the most capable executives in our Country successfully ran, along with Lara Trump, the Republican National Committee. He happens to live in your incredible State, which I love, and won, including Primaries, six times in a row! My relationship with you has been fantastic, and only enhanced by the job I did after January 20th, when I took over the flood drenched areas that were abandoned by Sleepy Joe Biden and your Governor, and, through the infusion of money and hard work, fixed the problem like nobody else has the ability to do. The one that energized that project, and so many more, was the Chairman of the RNC, Michael Whatley. I am sending this Statement out for a very good reason. Mike would make an unbelievable Senator from North Carolina. He is fantastic at everything he does, and he was certainly great at the RNC where, in the Presidential Election, we won every Swing State, the Popular Vote, and the Electoral College by a landslide! But I have a mission for my friends in North Carolina, and that is to get Michael Whatley to run for the U.S. Senate. He is STRONG on the Border, stopping Crime, supporting our Military/Veterans, cutting Taxes, and saving our always under siege Second Amendment. I need him in Washington, and I need him representing YOU! Fortunately, I have somebody who will do a wonderful job as the Chairman of the RNC. His name is, Joe Gruters, and he will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. So, should Michael Whatley run for the Senate, please let this notification represent my Complete and Total Endorsement. HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!
About Michael Whatley:
Whatley grew up in Boone, North Carolina. He graduated with Wake Forest University and Notre Dame with a law degree and Masters in Theology.
Whatley served on Capitol Hill as Elizabeth Dole’s Chief of Staff and with the U.S. Department of Energy.
He was one of the first people on President Trump’s team for the 2016, heling secure North Carolina. In 2019, Trump asked him to serve as Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party and then as the Chairman for the Republican National Committee in 2024.
What They Are Saying:
Lara Trump said, “After much consideration and heartfelt discussion with my family, friends, and supporters, I have decided not to pursue the United States Senate seat in North Carolina at this time. I am deeply grateful for the encouragement and support I have received from the people of my home state whom I love so much.”
The North Carolina Democrat Party said, “Republicans just lost their ‘formidable’ and ‘first choice’ candidate for U.S. Senate, driving them further into chaos and closer to losing this seat.”
