North Carolina 2026 Senate Race Begins to Take Shape, and Things Are About to Get Really Interesting

There had been chatter for some time among North Carolina conservatives about primarying Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) in 2026. So his June announcement that he would not seek a third term – and President Trump’s approval of the decision – prompted excitement, with speculation running wild as to who might jump into the race to try and replace him.

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After the Tillis retirement news, reports swirled that former RNC co-chair Lara Lea Trump was contemplating throwing her hat into the ring, considering her Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach roots.

Donald Trump himself publicly stated in response to the rumors that he felt his daughter-in-law, who is now the host of a weekend program on Fox News, would be a “great” choice for the Senate seat. “[She] would always be my first choice, but she doesn’t live there now,” he also noted.

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