Former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper will run for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina, giving Democrats a proven statewide winner in an open-seat race that is expected to be one of the most competitive 2026 contests.

Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law and former co-chair of the Republican National Committee, will not be pursuing a run for retiring North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis' seat. Why it matters: The announcement comes after multiple outlets reported RNC chair Michael Whatley will join the race.

Trump said he would endorse his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, if she decided to run. He will now likely endorse Michael Whatley in his bid.