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.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley is expected to run for the Senate in North Carolina, setting up a marquee race in next year’s midterms, two sources familiar with Whatley’s plans tell CNN.

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,