Rep. Mark Walker announced his bid for North Carolina’s coveted Senate seat, prompting for a potentially crowded GOP primary in what is expected to be one of the nation’s most contested races.
The North Carolina Republican labeled himself as a “conservative warrior” and a “bridge-builder” for communities in an early campaign video published Tuesday.
“In North Carolina, Chuck Schumer doesn’t get to pick the next senator. The people do,” Walker says in the ad.
Several Republicans have started eyeing North Carolina, looking to pitch themselves as the best person to replace Sen. Richard Burr, who is not running for a fourth term. Democrats are also seeking to capture the seat, with the party likely to be at either a 50-50 majority in Congress’s upper chamber or trying to oust the GOP’s majority, which is set to be narrower than the previous cycle.
Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of President Trump and a North Carolina native, and the state’s former Gov. Pat McCroy have also expressed early interest in possibly running for the seat.
So far, Lara Trump has said it would be an “honor” to run for Senate but has not officially announced. Her name recognition is expected to carry some weight if she does decide to make her bid.
Walker told Politico that he understands there could be a crowded primary but believes his record in Congress will set him apart.
“We have been planning this for a few weeks before we heard anything about the consideration of someone moving back to North Carolina to run,” Walker said. “I have nothing but good things to say about the entire family, but this doesn’t deter us one way or the other.”
Walker has served three terms in the House but did not run for reelection this year. He considered a primary challenge against Sen. Thom Tillis, who narrowly won his election this year against Democrat Cal Cunningham. Tillis’s race was among a handful that defied polls, which predicted GOP incumbents were highly vulnerable to lose to Democratic challengers who outpaced them in advertising and fundraising.
