North Carolina will be at the center of the 2026 midterm elections, with a marquee U.S. Senate race that’s expected to attract big names given the high stakes for the balance of power in the federal government.

Lara Trump had a chance to run for the seat currently occupied by Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) in 2022 but passed on the opportunity. She was also floated as a possible appointee to fill the Senate seat of current Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Florida, but Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) ultimately tapped Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), an ally, instead.

North Carolina’s 2026 Senate race is coming into focus as former Gov. Roy Cooper prepares to run and Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley, backed by President Donald Trump and GOP leadership,

Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley is expected to jump into the North Carolina Senate race after Lara Trump once again decided to pass on a run.

Lara Trump, President Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, had been rumored as a possible Republican candidate for North Carolina’s open Senate seat.

The last Senate primary in North Carolina didn't end on Election Day. It ended the moment Donald Trump took the stage in Greenville and called Ted Budd "your next senator." Former Gov. Pat McCrory had been the early favorite as the kind of name voters know even if they're not paying attention.

Republicans are eager to see Lara Trump enter the North Carolina Senate race, with many seeing her as their best opportunity to keep the seat after Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) announced he wouldn’t seek reelection.

Senator Ted Budd Net Worth Quiver Quantitative estimates that Senator Ted Budd is worth $7.5M, as of July 4th, 2025. This is the 111th highest net worth in Congress, per our live estimates.

President Donald Trump wants to claw back $9.4 billion earmarked for foreign aid and funding PBS and NPR. The Senate has a Friday deadline to decide what to do.