Sen. Ted Budd during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on May 11, 2023. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
U.S. Sen. Ted Budd of North Carolina will be a vice chair for the Senate GOP’s campaign arm ahead of the 2026 midterm elections as the party looks to flip more seats, the National Republican Senatorial Committee announced Thursday.
North Carolina’s senior senator, Republican Thom Tillis, is up for reelection in 2026.
In a ticket-splitting state that’s elected Democratic governors while voting for President-elect Donald Trump three times, it’s likely one of the most competitive Senate races. Democrats are eyeing vulnerable GOP incumbents like Tillis in their quest to narrow the Republican majority in the upper chamber.
Republicans elected U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of neighboring South Carolina as NRSC chair last week after he ran unopposed for the position. He replaces U.S. Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, who helped flip four seats in the 2024 election cycle and steer the party from 49-51 to a 53-47 majority.
“Republicans are united to advance President Donald J. Trump’s agenda, deliver on our promises to the American people, and expand and grow our majority in 2026,” Budd said in a statement.
Other vice chairs are Republican U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Katie Britt of Alabama, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, and U.S. Sen.-elect Jim Banks of Indiana.
Out of the states represented by Scott and his panel of vice chairs, only Indiana doesn’t have a Senate race in 2026.
The NRSC has not had vice chairs in recent election cycles, according to Punchbowl News.
“There is too much at stake to do this alone, so I’m thankful to my colleagues for stepping up to serve as Vice Chairs to the NRSC,” Scott said in a statement. “Raising the resources, expanding the map, and building the organization is going to be an all hands on deck task.”
Tillis is facing scrutiny in Washington as the political world anticipates how he’ll vote on Trump’s controversial cabinet picks.
If he doesn’t back contentious appointees like former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general, Tillis risks a primary challenge from a Trump-endorsed candidate in 2026. If he follows party lines, he could steer moderate voters towards the Democratic nominee instead.
Tillis was first elected to the Senate in 2014, when he narrowly defeated Democratic incumbent Kay Hagan. He beat Democrat Cal Cunningham by a slightly larger margin in 2020.
After Richard Burr retired, Tillis became the state’s senior senator. Budd won Burr’s seat in the 2022 election.
Outgoing Democratic U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel of North Carolina’s 13th congressional district announced his intention to vie for the Democratic senatorial nomination after gerrymandered redistricting placed his seat into a heavily Republican area.
Speculation around other prospective candidates include Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who’s wrapping up his two terms as the state’s chief executive.
Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has also been floated as a possible option after losing his gubernatorial bid to Democrat Josh Stein but said Wednesday he isn’t considering another run for political office.
“Running for office is not on my radar at all,” Robinson told WRAL.
The Senate’s current composition and 2026 map look beneficial for Republicans. They’ll have potential pick-up opportunities in the battleground states of Georgia and Michigan, and only a handful of competitive seats to defend: North Carolina, Maine, and a special election in Ohio to replace Vice President-elect JD Vance.
Democrats would need to flip four seats to regain a majority in the upper chamber.