North Carolina is a pivotal battleground state and the Senate race is one of the premier contests of the upcoming midterm elections.

President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump on Thursday said she would not run for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina next year, setting the stage for an expected matchup of former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley.

Michael Whatley, chair of the Republican National Committee, plans to launch a campaign for Senate in North Carolina after Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law, chose not to run, according to three people familiar with the decision who spoke on the condition of anonymity because his plans have not been publicly announced.