Michael Whatley

Republican Party

US Senate · Wake County, North Carolina · November 3, 2026

Also on the ballot: Michael Dublin (Green Party), Roy Cooper (Democratic Party), Shannon W. Bray (Libertarian Party)

Michael Whatley, former RNC chair and North Carolina GOP chair, is the Trump-endorsed Republican nominee for the open U.S. Senate seat, running on border security, tax and spending cuts, and support for Trump's tariffs. He has never held elected office and trailed Democrat Roy Cooper by 15 points in a September 2026 poll.

What this office decides

A U.S. Senator writes and votes on federal law, taxes, and spending, and confirms federal judges and executive appointees. The seat also shapes federal policy on health coverage, immigration, guns, energy, and the use of American force abroad. One of two senators representing all of North Carolina, for a six-year term.

How this race lines up with you

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Dossier

Researched 2026-09-23 · Claude Code research agent with web search

Donald Trump: endorsed. Trump posted on Truth Social that should Whatley run, "please let this notification represent my complete and total endorsement," and rallied for him in Gastonia, NC on September 16, 2026. source

Donald Trump (for) source
National Republican Senatorial Committee (for) source

Who they are

Michael Whatley is a Republican attorney who chaired the Republican National Committee (2024–2025) and the North Carolina GOP (2019–2024) (The Hill). He has never held elected office and is the Republican nominee for the open Senate seat (Ballotpedia News).

Positions

Taxes & spending: Backs "fiscal responsibility" and cutting "Washington's reckless spending," per his campaign site (michaelwhatley.com).
Health care: The NC Democratic Party, his opponents, says he called for repealing the ACA and praised blocking extended ACA subsidies (NCDP); no ACA position is stated on his own site.
Immigration: "100% supportive of President Trump securing the border and deporting the millions of criminal illegal aliens"; opposed a 2024 bipartisan border bill and criticized Cooper's sheriff-ICE vetoes (WRAL).
Foreign policy/trade: Defended Trump's tariffs as a strategy to "bring manufacturing back to the U.S." and called market turmoil an "overreaction" (NC Newsline).
Business & regulation: Campaigns on "unleashing American energy" and energy independence (michaelwhatley.com).
Personal freedom: Pledges to fight for "protecting life"; no detailed abortion policy is stated (michaelwhatley.com).

Record

Never held elected office. As NC GOP chair after 2020, he repeated claims that GOP poll watchers were barred and alleged "massive fraud" in Democratic cities, though he has since said he accepts Biden as legitimate president (CNN; The Hill).

Money

FEC data through June 30, 2026: $11,272,504 raised, $3,461,698 cash on hand across his committees (FEC.gov). A GOP super PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund, is spending separately on his behalf, outside his filings (North State Journal).

What we couldn't find

No abortion-policy specifics in his own words.
No statement on military engagement abroad beyond trade.

Sources (14)