Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley on Thursday officially launched his campaign for the North Carolina Senate seat currently held by retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis. Whatley decided to jump in the race after Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law, passed on a possible bid, POLITICO reported last week.

President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump on Thursday said she would not run for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina next year, setting the stage for an expected matchup of former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley.