President Donald Trump declared last week on social media that Gastonia's Michael Whatley would "make an unbelievable senator" for North Carolina. On Thursday, Whatley, chairman of the Republican National Committee,

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley is running for North Carolina’s open U.S. Senate seat, entering what’s shaping up to be one of the most competitive and consequential races of the 2026 election cycle.

Michael Whatley, Trump's Republican National Committee co-chairman, has decided to run for Senator Thom Tillis' soon-to-be-vacated seat, according to the Federal Election Commission filing.