The political scene in North Carolina is full of talk about another Trump family member possibly entering the race for public office.
Lara Trump, who is married to Eric Trump, Donald Trump’s son, is said to be thinking about running for the U.S. Senate in her home state. This comes after Republican Senator Thom Tillis surprised everyone by announcing he will not run for re-election next year.
According to Politico, his decision leaves an open seat and a big opportunity for both political parties in the 2026 election. Lara Trump has been a visible figure in the Republican Party for years, standing out as one of the more politically active members of the Trump family. Her political career and net worth took off when Donald Trump removed the old leadership of the Republican National Committee (RNC) and made her a co-chair in March 2024.
In that important role, she was in charge of raising money for the RNC and helping plan the Republican convention in Milwaukee. As reported by The Daily Beast, her main job was to focus everything on getting Donald Trump elected and strengthening the party’s message. After her father-in-law won the election, she moved to a job at Fox News, where she now hosts a weekend show. Her experience in media and fundraising could make her a strong candidate since she knows how to get attention and work with party resources.
Lara Trump may soon be a new Senator
The open Senate seat in North Carolina, left by Tillis, is a complicated battleground. Tillis, who is 64 years old and a Republican, had publicly disagreed with Donald Trump over proposed cuts to Medicaid in a bill, and that disagreement may have played a part in his choice to retire. His exit is seen as a sign of how things are changing in the Republican Party, where going against the President’s plans can make a politician vulnerable.
Tillis leaving creates an interesting opening in a state that, while it has voted for Donald Trump in all three of his elections, is not seen as a guaranteed win for Republicans. Lara Trump isn’t the only Republican who might run for Tillis’s seat. Other well-known Republicans who could join the race include Representative Richard Hudson, who leads the National Republican Congressional Committee, and Michael Whatley, the current RNC Chair.
BREAKING:
— Mila Joy (@MilaLovesJoe) June 29, 2025
North Carolina native Lara Trump is SERIOUSLY thinking about running for Senator to replace retiring RINO Thom Tillis. pic.twitter.com/a42vHcGiCW
Polls already show Lara Trump with strong support among likely Republican voters, even though she currently lives in Florida. This early polling suggests she has a solid base of backers, likely because of her close ties to Donald Trump and her recent high-profile role in the RNC.
For Democrats, the open seat is a major opportunity. Former Governor Roy Cooper, a popular leader in North Carolina, is reportedly thinking about running. Democrats see him as their best shot at winning the competitive seat, since he won the governor’s race in 2016 and 2020, even while Donald Trump carried the state in those elections. Another Democrat, former Representative Wiley Nickel, has already said he’s running.
