Sen. Elizabeth Dole, a Republican who represented North Carolina in Congress, also never had run for public office before being elected in 2002. Whatley served as her chief-of-staff, for one of her six years in the chamber.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley is running for North Carolina’s open U.S. Senate seat, entering what’s shaping up to be one of the most competitive and consequential races of the 2026 election cycle.

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.