Lara Trump is currently “seriously contemplating” the opportunity to run for the soon-to-be vacant U.S. Senate seat in North Carolina, following Senator Thom Tillis’s announcement of his retirement on Sunday.
An unnamed source informed NBC News that the president’s daughter-in-law is “strongly considering entering the race.” The source even suggested that it is nearly a “done deal,” indicating that a Trump candidacy would likely eliminate any additional challengers from the primary field.
I would estimate the likelihood as very high … The race will conclude before it even starts,” the source conveyed to NBC’s Vaughn Hillyard.
This development comes less than a day after Senator Tillis faced President Trump’s ire for being one of two Republican senators to oppose the advancement of the Trump-supported Big Beautiful Bill. In a series of social media messages, the president criticized Tillis as a “grandstander” who has let down the people of North Carolina and has voted against the White House agenda on multiple occasions.
The president also revealed that he would be meeting with potential primary challengers in the upcoming days, although Tillis made the decision straightforward by declaring that he would not pursue re-election in 2026.
“As many of my colleagues have observed over the past year, and at times even joked about, I haven’t exactly been enthusiastic about running for another term,” the senator stated. “That is accurate since the choice is between spending another six years maneuvering through the political theater and partisan gridlock in Washington or dedicating that time to the love of my life, Susan, our two children, three wonderful grandchildren, and the rest of our extended family back home. It’s not a difficult decision, and I will not be seeking re-election.
Lara Trump, who held the position of co-chair for the Republican National Committee during the 2024 campaign cycle, has previously shown interest in pursuing a political office. In 2020, the Wilmington native expressed her willingness to consider a run in North Carolina, but ultimately decided against it later that year.
Currently residing in West Palm Beach, Trump was also mentioned as a possible candidate for the vacant Senate seat in Florida after Marco Rubio was nominated for Secretary of State last year. However, the president’s daughter-in-law eventually withdrew her name from consideration, leading to the appointment of then-Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody instead.
Recent polling suggests that Lara Trump would be a formidable candidate should she choose to enter the race. A poll conducted by Victory Insights late last year indicated that Trump held a significant lead over Tillis in a hypothetical primary matchup, with 65 percent of respondents expressing support for her candidacy. In contrast, only 11 percent of respondents indicated they would back Tillis, while the remainder were uncertain.
Alongside Trump, other potential candidates include freshman U.S. Representative Pat Harrigan, former U.S. Representative Dan Bishop, and RNC Chair Michael Whatley. However, it is anticipated that the party will rally around Trump if she officially announces her candidacy.