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.

Democrats are hoping health care will be a winning issue across the 2026 midterm elections and see North Carolina as the top potential pickup opportunity in their long-shot play to regain control of the Senate.

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.