But Republican agents warn the family will still have great political power over the party, despite the devastating loss of its patriarch, and say Lara Trump could be a formidable candidate in a pre-election for the seat that controls the Senate. could determine.
A Trump nomination would be difficult for any Republican to dispute, as many of the party’s supporters are united by the president’s personality rather than ideological principles.
North Carolina Representative Mark Walker announced his Senate campaign earlier this month, casting himself in the purple state as both “a conservative warrior and a bridge builder.” He has already received support from GOP Sens. Tim Scott of South Carolina and James Lankford of Oklahoma, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.
When asked about Lara Trump’s potential candidacy in a recent interview, the Baptist pastor anticipated a possible attack.
“There is nothing against the law for someone who moves from New York State to North Carolina to flee,” Walker told CNN.
“We remain focused on what we have achieved,” he added. “I have nothing bad to say about the (Trump) family.”
Lara Trump was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, attended North Carolina State University and worked as a television producer for “Inside Edition” before advising Trump’s 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns. She and her husband Eric have two children, including a daughter Carolina, named after her home state, and live in Westchester, New York.
“I’ll always be home there,” she said. “I’ve seen the really positive ways in which you can impact people’s lives thanks to this president, and it would be an honor to do so.”
A source who spoke to Lara Trump about the upcoming race told CNN she was “very strongly considered” a campaign, calling Walker’s comments implying she was a carpet bag star “ridiculous.” The source said her father-in-law told Lara during the 2016 presidential race that he would give her the responsibility to win North Carolina. Trump won and took it again in 2020.
“I think she has a huge reservoir of goodwill among Republican voters, as well as many North Carolina people,” the source said. “She’s well known in the state.”
North Carolina Republican strategist Paul Shumaker said Lara Trump’s situation is “no different from” when Elizabeth Dole changed her residency from Washington, DC to North Carolina before running in 2002 and winning a Senate seat.
“All candidates will have to manage and handle multiple issues,” said Shumaker. “How she handles the issues will ultimately determine whether she is eligible for both a primary and general election.”
North Carolina will again be a pivotal battleground in the battle for Senate control in 2022. There are 21 GOP Senate seats and 13 Democratic seats left, and no matter who wins the two Georgia Senate elections, take control of the room will be on the line again.
“Everyone needs to think about who has the best chance of holding the seat of the Republican majority in ’22,” said a second Republican political strategist from North Carolina. “That should be everyone’s motivation, and whether the right person is from the Trump family or not, I think this is a very, very important question that needs to be answered.”
Burr confirmed on Tuesday that he had no intention of running in 2022.
“I have no plans at the moment,” he said of a run for a fourth term.
When asked about Trump’s potential candidacy, Burr said, “I’m not going to go into what can or can’t happen there. I’m sure there will be 20 people.”
When asked if he would support anyone in the Republican primary, Tillis told CNN, “At the end of the day, we have to win the general.”
The senator said it is “very likely” that there will be “somewhere” between seven and ten candidates, “six of whom are probably friends of mine.”
Tillis added that it is “hard to pinpoint” how much Lara Trump’s last name would help her in first grade, though he noted she “has a lot of appeal to the grassroots.
“Everyone knows who Lara Trump is,” said Tillis. “A great spokesperson, a great profile. But it depends who else is participating.”
David McIntosh, the chairman of the Club for Growth PAC, told CNN that his group had already talked to “a few potential candidates” and “is pleased that some conservatives in favor of growth” are considering a bid.
North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley projected confidence that they would be able to keep the seat. “North Carolina is still a center-right state,” he said. “We have a strong track record with Republicans in the Senate.”
Democrats in North Carolina are coming out of a disappointing 2020. While Cooper won reelection, President-elect Joe Biden and Cunningham lost the state and Republicans retained their majority in both state chambers.
But Democrats are still hoping to win Senate seat in 2022, noting that in the months leading up to his scandal, Cunningham had a solid lead in the polls.
“There is important work that needs to be done to bring our rural and urban communities together and build an American dream that is within reach for every North Carolina and American,” Smith told CNN.