In a hotly contested year when the U.S. Senate is up for grabs, RNC Chairman Michael Whatley has answered the call.
GOP governors Brian Kemp and Chris Sununu, however, left their party and voters wanting more. Last week, Whatley announced his bid for North Carolina’s open Senate seat, being vacated by a MAGA-defiant incumbent, Thom Tillis.
Running with the coveted endorsement from President Trump, Whatley evoked his campaign’s message immediately: “a healthy, robust economy, safe kids and communities, and a strong America are the North Carolina values that I will champion every day.”
His candidacy starkly contrasts with Georgia’s Governor Kemp and New Hampshire’s Governor Sununu’s silence, with both refusing to enter the respective high-stakes Senate races in their states, despite polls showing both would win a general election.
In today’s political environment, where party loyalty is increasingly rewarded, Whatley shows the political courage that sorely lacks among the GOP’s most popular governors. Their tenure and achievements are respectable, but it’s a shame that Kemp and Sununu’s public service bucks the greater Republican interest for short-sighted convenience.
Whatley’s campaign embodies the practical and philosophical alignment of the modern Republican Party. Whatley embraces President Trump’s support, understanding the dividends it pays for office seekers, as 76% of Trump-endorsed candidates won their general election last cycle. As an observer and party staple, Whatley knows that Trumpism works and resonates with the masses in North Carolina.
Notably, with President Trump’s recent $1.4 billion housing grant and federal coverage of FEMA reimbursement costs directed at North Carolinians, the Whatley-Trump axis is mutual reinforcement. Whatley promotes Trump’s policies and enhances his reputation as a localist and attentive responder, while Trump’s approval gives Whatley significant credibility, name recognition, and fundraising networks. The relationship is not transactional, but necessary to shore up Tarheel State republicans early on and amplify how federal leadership benefits constituents.
For Kemp and Sununu, standing by and defending Trump, as Michael Warren of The Dispatch reasoned, was “a bridge too far.” Both governors had their fair share of problems with the president — Kemp over electoral matters and COVID-19 restrictions, and Sununu over the January 6th Capitol protest and 2024 presidential primaries. Even though they endorsed Trump for the presidency last year, they are uncomfortable thinking that any Senate bid would serve and empower Trump, not their home base.
These politicians value their independence, or more so, they are reluctant to associate with the president and any attached political risks. For Kemp and Sununu, Trumpism is palpable, but polarizing. Whatley, unlike them, sees the movement as inviting, not alienating. The difference is precisely why the pair face such backlash for their abstinence: they are misreading the political tea leaves.
However, Kemp and Sununu’s goals, being incongruent with the GOP, may point to their future plans. The ex-Granite State governor joined a New York venture capital firm in May, fleshing out his private sector portfolio. Sununu also expressed wanting to “keep [his] hand in the political pot through having a public voice.”
If Sununu yearns to influence public policy and promote centrism in the current Republican Party, sidelining himself helps little. In a purple state like New Hampshire, where Sununu boasts impressive favorability, he could have brought policies like infrastructure and tax reform—moves that made New Hampshire prosperous—to the national conversation. Instead, he left his party scrambling for alternative candidates and his state with diminished choice.
The same cannot be said for Governor Kemp. He is making pit stops in various states, giving weight to a potential presidential bid as a moderate republican come 2028. Additionally, Kemp is muddying the waters of the Senate race he should have entered by persuading Derek Dooley, a former Tennessee Volunteers football coach, to run with his backing. Kemp hopes to be kingmaker to legitimize his future political ambitions, and doesn’t seem to mind meddling in the race — but he should.
Incumbent Jon Ossoff is widely described as the most vulnerable Democratic senator up for reelection this cycle. Thus, the Georgia GOP demands unity, not internal competition, to collectively send Ossoff packing. Immediate party welfare shouldn’t come second to self-interested plans that may never materialize. Politics requires an ongoing recognition of the present, an appreciation of voter concerns, and careful balancing between previous shortcomings and future public service. Ignoring the now can undermine a politician's relevancy, effectiveness, and anger the leaders they want to succeed.
Whatley understands time’s essence, jumping into his race a few days after Tillis bowed out. His urgency and status give state leadership ample time to coalesce around him and prevent any insurgencies. Doing so will boost Whatley’s name recognition and get him on the ground from Goldsboro to hurricane-ravaged Asheville early on. His long-term vision of keeping North Carolina red starts today, and by thinking through time, Whatley demonstrates the tactfulness politicians ought to embody. With former governor Roy Cooper challenging Whatley on the Democratic side, the race is shaping up to be an epic clash of state heavyweights. Cooper shattered fundraising records, raising $3.4 million on his campaign’s first day. He also leads Whatley by a few points in preliminary polling and remains popular in the state.
Nevertheless, Whatley’s willingness to enter the fray, despite the odds, exposes the risk aversion and lack of loyalty that too many “leaders” in American politics exhibit. When the stakes are highest, some folks like Whatley charge into the fight. Others, like Sununu and Kemp, run away when they are needed most—and they might not return from their escape.
Alex Rosado is a political, cultural, and consumer freedom writer for Young Voices, writing in his personal capacity. Follow him on X @Alexprosado
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