Who is Michael Whatley, NC’s GOP candidate for Senate?
Michael Whatley, a North Carolina native, is leaving his role as chairman of the Republican National Committee to run for Senate.
He previously led the state’s Republican Party before Trump picked him to lead the national committee in 2024.
Whatley has a long history in and around North Carolina politics, but has yet to be a candidate.
Whatley is a native of Watauga County, and his political career began there, as a sophomore at Watauga High School, in 1984, when he volunteered on then-Sen. Jesse Helms’ reelection campaign.
Sixteen years later, he served on George W. Bush’s Florida recount team.
During Bush’s presidency, Whatley worked in the Department of Energy.
Then, North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole selected Whatley in 2004 to serve as her chief of staff.
From there he became vice president of the Consumer Energy Alliance and a lobbyist.
Michael Whatley is a staunch supporter of Donald Trump
In 2019, Whatley was named chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, and helped lead Trump to a 2020 victory in the state, despite losing the election to Joe Biden.
Whatley is a staunch supporter of the president and has echoed the false narrative that Trump won the 2020 election.
Whatley led the state party when it censured Burr, a Republican from Winston-Salem, for voting to impeach Trump for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
He was also the state party’s chairman when it censured Tillis for working across the aisle on policy involving same-sex marriage and gun laws, following a shooting in Uvalde, Texas that left 19 students and two teachers dead.
Whatley will face off against retired businessman Andy Nilsson and former JAG officer Don Brown in the Republican primary.
This story was originally published July 24, 2025 at 7:50 AM with the headline "Who is Michael Whatley, NC’s GOP candidate for Senate?."