Michael Whatley, a North Carolina native, is leaving his role as chairman of the Republican National Committee to run for Senate. He previously led the state’s Republican Party before Trump picked him to lead the national committee in 2024.

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,

North Carolina’s 2026 Senate race is coming into focus as former Gov. Roy Cooper prepares to run and Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley, backed by President Donald Trump and GOP leadership,