Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley has formally kicked off his bid for the hotly-contested North Carolina Senate seat, opening the door for new leadership at the top of the official GOP.

Michael Whatley, the chair of the Republican National Committee, formally launched his bid to be North Carolina's next senator Thursday afternoon.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, backed by top GOP leaders, launched his bid for North Carolina’s open Senate seat on Thursday. The unified support puts Whatley on the fast track to a general election matchup against former Gov.