- RNC chair supports Lara Trump’s Senate run.
- Encourages strong Republican campaign effort.
- Highlights Trump family political influence.
Whatley has been mentioned as a prospective seeker for the seat after Sen. Thom Tillis(R-N.C.) suddenly revealed his intention to seek a third term following a disagreement with President Donald Trump. Whatley served as president of the North Carolina GOP for five times until also- GOP designee Donald Trump suggested he take on a public part in 2024, ahead of the presidential election.
“What I will say is this: If Lara Trump is going to be interested, then she is certainly going to have the entire Republican universe — myself included — that are going to coalesce behind her,”
Whatley said in a Monday interview with the Washington Examiner published on Wednesday.
“And if not, we’ll work with the president, and we’ll figure out who the best candidate is to be able to win there.”
According to The Hill, Lara Trump, who's married to Eric Trump, is considering running for Senate in her home state after Tillis stated he'd not seek reelection while rejecting President Trump's big duty and spending measure.
Lara Trump, who had preliminarily considered a Tar Heel State race following the withdrawal of former Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) in 2020, lately told Fox News Radio that she's redefining a run in her home state.
She preliminarily co-chaired the RNC with Whatley, but abnegated in December 2024 amid expectation that she might take the seat of former Sen. Marco Rubio (R- Fla.), who was nominated for clerk of State.
The Hill attempted multiple times to reach Lara Trump for comment on Wednesday but was unsuccessful.
Whatley told the Examiner that he does not know if Lara Trump, who is a Fox News host and operates an athletic apparel business, will compete for the Senate seat, but he believes the president will know who is best fit for the position.
Tillis' retirement prompted electoral forecasters to designate the contest as a "toss-up" in the midterm cycle.
“Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis,”
the president wrote in a Truth Social post June 28 shortly after Tillis’s announcement.
“I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America.”
How would Lara Trump’s appointment affect the Senate balance of power?
With Republicans holding a 53- 47 maturity in the 119th Congress(post-2024 choices), President Trump's docket advances more fluently, but the slim periphery requires party concinnity on crucial votes. Lara Trump's implicit appointment suspected for Florida if Marco Rubio becomes Secretary of State would maintain GOP control.
Replaces Rubio (R- FL) with another Republican, conserving the 53- 47 edge and avoiding Popular earnings. As Trump's son- in- law andex-RNC co-chair, she could reliably support MAGA precedences( e.g., border security, duty cuts), strengthening Trump's influence but risking internal GOP dissent if perceived as nepotistic.
Florida leans Republican (Trump won by 13 in 2024), favoring Lara in a special election, but her neophyte status might invite strong primary contenders or Popular turnout. A loss could flip the seat, narrowing GOP to 52- 48 and complicating documentations.