Lara Trump has officially bowed out of the race to replace retiring North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, paving the way for Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley to launch a Senate campaign backed by President Donald Trump and the full force of the MAGA movement.
“After much consideration and heartfelt discussions with my family, friends, and supporters, I have decided not to pursue the United States Senate seat in North Carolina at this time,” Trump posted Thursday on X. “While I am not running in this election, my passion for Making America Great Again burns brightly, and I look forward to the future, wherever that leads.”
The move ends months of speculation over whether the president’s daughter-in-law would take on the Senate bid and instead signals a clean handoff to Whatley, Trump’s handpicked RNC chair and longtime North Carolina GOP powerbroker.
According to sources close to the campaign, Whatley is expected to formally announce his candidacy within the next 10 days. The president is already preparing to name a new RNC chair once Whatley makes his intentions official.
Whatley, a former chair of the North Carolina Republican Party, played a critical role in Trump’s narrow victories in the Tar Heel State in both 2020 and 2024. He organized one of the most aggressive election integrity operations in the country, deploying thousands of poll watchers and ballot challengers across the state. His efforts earned Trump’s confidence and the RNC chairmanship after Ronna Romney McDaniel stepped down earlier this year.
The 2026 Senate race in North Carolina is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched contests in the country. Democrats are reportedly lining up former Governor Roy Cooper to make a Senate run of his own. Cooper, a two-term Democrat who frequently clashed with the GOP-controlled legislature, is expected to announce his candidacy next week.
Tillis, a moderate Republican who increasingly found himself at odds with the president, announced his retirement shortly after voting against Trump’s flagship legislative achievement, the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” That vote effectively ended any future in Trump’s GOP and opened the door for a full-spectrum MAGA candidate to take his place.
With Lara Trump out of the running, Whatley now enjoys the inside track to the GOP nomination. His deep roots in North Carolina Republican politics, combined with full-throated support from the Trump family, give him a significant edge over any potential primary challengers.
Whatley’s candidacy also gives Trump a reliable ally in the Senate should he secure a second full term in 2028. If elected, Whatley would be a staunch supporter of the president’s America First legislative agenda and an influential voice on issues ranging from election integrity to border security.
Lara Trump, meanwhile, will continue to serve as one of the most visible surrogates for the Trump campaign, maintaining her weekend show on Fox News and likely playing a key role in grassroots mobilization efforts heading into 2026.
Her decision to step aside comes after earlier speculation that she might pursue a Florida Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio when he joined the Trump administration as Secretary of State. That possibility ended when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appointed former Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill Rubio’s seat.
The stage is now set in North Carolina for a high-stakes showdown: Trump’s loyal RNC chair versus the Democrats’ standard-bearer in Roy Cooper. With the full MAGA machine already in motion, Whatley is expected to run as a pro-Trump populist focused on trade, immigration, and conservative values.
North Carolina, long a battleground, appears poised to deliver another test of the MAGA movement’s dominance—and Michael Whatley is betting it’ll pass with flying colors.
The post Lara Trump Clears Path for Whatley’s Senate Run as Trumpworld Consolidates Power in North Carolina appeared first on Real News Now.
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