A MAGA mutiny forced Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) into retirement. A boatload of Trump-aligned Republicans are getting ready to take his place.
The field is fluid, but Lara Trump, RNC Chair Michael Whatley, NRCC Chair Richard Hudson and Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.) are in the upper echelon of contenders, according to several Republican sources. The final decision will be heavily determined by who President Donald Trump decides to endorse.
The stakes are high because Democrats will heavily target this seat. But Republicans hope that a coveted Trump endorsement will thin out what would otherwise be a bruising GOP primary.
The top tier. Harrigan, a former Green Beret, is well-liked by some in Trump World and was viewed as a contender even before Tillis’ exit. But Harrigan is a freshman lawmaker and relatively unknown statewide.
Whatley is a key Trump ally who led the North Carolina GOP for several years before Trump installed him at the Republican National Committee. Trump clearly trusts Whatley, as he turned to the experienced political operative after Ronna McDaniel’s departure from the RNC.
Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law, would be a compelling choice. She’s a North Carolina native and a Fox News host. It’s unclear if Lara Trump wants to be in the Senate, though. She took herself out of contention to fill former Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-Fla.) seat.
Also, keep an eye on Hudson, the chair of the NRCC. Trump likes Hudson, and the NRCC chair is more seasoned than Harrigan. But the president would have to decide if it’s worth it to lose Hudson at the House GOP campaign arm in a cycle where Trump is desperate for Republicans to keep their majority.
There are a slew of other names floating around. Rep. Tim Moore (R-N.C.), who has a statewide profile from his time serving as speaker in the North Carolina House, is taking a look at the race. Also in the mix: former Rep. George Holding (R-N.C.), who serves on the board of the Trump Media & Technology Group Corp., and Rep. Addison McDowell (R-N.C.), another freshman.
Some of these names are more serious than others. But Tillis’ retirement proves that the single most important thing to have is Trump’s blessing. Anyone can throw their name into contention in the hopes of getting lucky should the president decide to go with a dark horse pick.
Tillis’ take: Tillis wouldn’t say on Sunday whether he plans to endorse a candidate to succeed him, saying it depends on who runs. Tillis said he suspects Trump will endorse a candidate and that the party will get behind that person.
But Tillis warned Trump not to make the same mistake he did with Mark Robinson, the scandal-plagued GOP nominee for governor in 2024.
“I just really hope [Trump] has some discernment because obviously Mark Robinson was a bad pick,” Tillis told reporters. “It’s a statewide race. You’ve got to have a good, solid candidate who runs on the basis of their body of work.”
Democratic perspective. Democrats are salivating at the prospect of running a top recruit against an untested GOP candidate.
Former Gov. Roy Cooper remains the party’s biggest hope, but Cooper isn’t in the race yet.
For now, Democrats are happy to take a victory lap over Tillis’ exit.
“It just shows you that the Republicans’ majority is at risk because of their Big, Ugly Bill is so unpopular, not just in North Carolina but throughout the country,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.
