Scoop: Former Carolina Hurricanes president considers a run for U.S. Senate
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Jim Cain attending the 2007 opening ceremony of Soccerex in South Africa. Photo: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images/Getty Images
Former U.S. Ambassador and Carolina Hurricanes executive Jim Cain is considering running in the Republican primary for North Carolina's now-open U.S. Senate, he told Axios in a statement Tuesday.
Why it matters: The race to become North Carolina's GOP nominee for U.S. Senate is wide open since Sen. Thom Tillis announced he would not seek re-election late last month, and Republicans from all over the state — from national GOP Chairman Michael Whatley to state legislators — are toying with the idea of jumping in.
Driving the news: Cain, a Republican registered to vote in Wake County, is unlike any other possible candidates for the Republican nomination: He served as president and COO of the Carolina Hurricanes when the team made its first appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002.
- A Wake Forest University law graduate with a lengthy resume, Cain then went on to become the U.S. Ambassador to Denmark under the Bush administration. He has contributed more than $20,000 to primarily GOP candidates in North Carolina over the last decade.
Catch up quick: In addition to Whatley, another possible top contender for the North Carolina Republican U.S. Senate primary is President Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, who grew up in Wilmington but is currently a Florida resident.
- Congressman Pat Harrigan has also been cited as a possible frontrunner.
- It's unclear whom Trump might back in the race, though his endorsement, should he choose to weigh in in the coming months, could clear the field.
What they're saying: "As soon as Senator Tillis made his announcement I began receiving calls about running for the seat," Cain said in a statement to Axios provided through a spokesperson.
- "I am honored and intrigued by the possibility and would strongly consider running if and only if neither Lara Trump or Michael Whatley wanted to run. Before committing, I would first want to have a conversation with President Trump to ensure my candidacy is consistent with his vision for America, which I believe it is."
What's next: Candidate filing doesn't happen until December, so possible contenders have plenty of time to make a decision.
- Meantime, Democrats still don't have a clear frontrunner, with former Gov. Roy Cooper, who would be a formidable opponent in the general election, still undecided.
- Republicans and Democrats alike considering a run for the Senate race are in a "holding pattern" until Lara Trump and Cooper make a decision, per Semafor.