RNC Chair To Run For Senate After Lara Trump Opts To Stay at Fox News: Report

(AP Photo/Derik Hamilton, file)

President Donald Trump reportedly gave his blessing to Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley as his pick for the Senate race in North Carolina, closing the door on a potential run by his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who has opted to stay at Fox News.

Whatley’s announcement is slated for the next week or so, sources told Politico’s White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns on Thursday.

With Democratic heavyweight and former Governor Roy Cooper likely to jump in as early as Monday, a battleground is forming fast in a state both parties view as a rare toss-up.

“The president feels Whatley has earned his shot,” said a source familiar with the plans.

Trump had previously courted Lara Trump for the seat, but Politico reported that she has decided to remain on Fox News, continuing her weekly show. Instead, she’s expected to back Whatley, who served as her former RNC co-chair.

For Republicans, Whatley brings the full trifecta: a deep bench in North Carolina politics, national reach as RNC chair, and the kind of donor network needed for what Politico noted is likely to be one of the most expensive races of the cycle.

Trump, sources told the outlet, believes Whatley’s profile and party connections make him uniquely capable of taking on Cooper.

Whatley became RNC chair in March 2024 and, alongside Lara Trump, taking over as chair when she departed for Fox News. His replacement at the RNC is expected to be named once his Senate run is formally announced.