Michael Whatley, chair of the Republican National Committee, received President Donald Trump’s blessing Friday to run in next year’s Senate race in North Carolina to replace fellow Republican Thom Tillis, who is retiring after the end of his term.

“Mike would make an unbelievable Senator from North Carolina,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “He is fantastic at everything he does, and he was certainly great at the RNC where, in the Presidential Election, we won every Swing State, the Popular Vote, and the Electoral College by a landslide!”

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, met with Whatley about a potential bid for the Senate seat, a GOP operative told Newsmax, and the NRSC had been floating Whatley as a possible replacement for Tillis since January. Tillis announced last month he won’t seek reelection after saying he would vote against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

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