Michael Whatley announced Thursday afternoon that he is running for the U.S. senate seat currently occupied by Thom Tillis.

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.

Michael Whatley made it official Thursday: he's running for Thom Tillis' seat in the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina.Whatley, the current chairman of the Republican National Committee, announced his run at Loray Mill Event Hall.