Lara Trump may be considering a run for U.S. Senate. NBC News and Politico report the president’s daughter-in-law is seriously considering a bid for the North Carolina seat now that Republican Sen. Thom Tillis has announced he won’t seek re-election in 2026.
The news comes after a whirlwind weekend in politics, from President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” to a dramatic shakeup in the GOP’s Senate ranks. Senate Republicans advanced the bill, with two GOP senators voting no: Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Tillis of North Carolina.
Tillis abruptly bows out
Shortly after the vote, Trump went on Truth Social, criticizing Tillis. In the post, Trump called him a “talker and complainer,” who has “hurt the great people of North Carolina.”
By Sunday, June 29, Tillis announced he would not seek a third term in 2026, citing growing polarization and a lack of bipartisanship in Washington.
Trump responded by calling the decision “Great News.”
Lara Trump weighs a Senate bid
On Sunday afternoon, NBC White House Correspondent Vaughn Hillyard posted on X, saying he was told Lara Trump was looking at a potential run. Hillyard said that the same source considered the odds of her running to be as “high as one could be.”
Politico also confirmed the reports Sunday, citing multiple Republicans familiar with the matter who say Lara Trump is seriously weighing a campaign.
What’s Lara Trump’s background?
The 44-year-old, married to the president’s son Eric Trump, served as the co-chair of the Republican National Committee in 2024. She helped lead fundraising for Trump’s campaign and oversaw planning for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. She also hosts a weekend political show on Fox News.
A native of Wilmington, North Carolina, Lara Trump was once floated as a replacement for former Florida Sen. Marco Rubio after Trump nominated him for secretary of state, though she later withdrew from consideration. She has remained active in Republican politics ever since.
A Carolina Journal poll from May showed Tillis with a 26.4% favorability rating in his home state, compared to 46.1% unfavorable. According to a Victory Insights poll from November 2024, Lara Trump led a hypothetical GOP primary, with her leading Tillis 64.7% to 10.8%, with 24.5% undecided.
Why it matters
Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate. The 2026 midterms will be critical to Trump’s ability to advance his agenda in the final two years of his second term.
There are 33 seats up for grabs, and Republicans are defending 20 of them, including North Carolina.
