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Former RNC chair Michael Whatley speaks out on the future of MAGA, conservative movement

North Carolina GOP Senate hopeful Michael Whatley speaks to Fox News Digital about his key race after 2025's rough Republican results. (Credit: Fox News Digital)

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All 100 of North Carolina’s counties are on the schedule for Michael Whatley, who is running for an open Senate seat as the GOP looks to course-correct after losses in 2025.

Whatley, the former ?Republican National Committee chairman, is facing former Gov. Roy Cooper in a bid to succeed Sen. Thom Tillis, a two-term Republican who decided not to run for re-election.

Whatley joined President Donald Trump in Rocky Mount on Friday night, just before he flew to Phoenix to speak at AmericaFest. Republicans are also looking to flip the state’s First Congressional District, which currently includes the noted Interstate 95 waypoint.

Whatley said the reception both at the rally and across the state has been "absolutely fantastic," and that it is important for any candidate to travel to every corner of an expansive, diverse state like North Carolina.

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North Carolina Senate candidate Michael Whatley (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images)

"The conservative movement is very, very strong, and we've got a lot of champions right now, especially when you compare us to what the Democrats are doing," he said.

"You know, we won when we focused on the issues that the American people cared about, right? President Trump said he was going to rebuild our economy, restore our borders, and make sure America is respected again around the world."

"The Democrats ran exactly the opposite: Inflationary spending, open borders, and a weak America. So we feel very good about where we are as a conservative movement. And we feel very good about our ability to win these elections as long as we're going to be focused on what the voters care about."

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