North Carolina’s ballot access laws create an uphill battle for third parties seeking to get their candidates on the ballot, requiring more than 14,000 registered voters to sign their petition for access.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he is impressed with the way North Carolina Democrats have focused on rural communities, but in Illinois, more than 30 counties in rural areas have voted to split or separate from the state.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley is expected to run for the Senate in North Carolina, setting up a marquee race in next year’s midterms, two sources familiar with Whatley’s plans tell CNN.