Republican Michele Morrow, who in 2024 ran an unsuccessful but high-profile campaign to lead North Carolina’s public schools, is set to speak Tuesday night to voters in Nash County.

Morrow is scheduled to speak at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Elks Lodge at 901 E. Birchwood Drive in Nashville before members of the Nash County Republican party.

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In December, Morrow filed campaign paperwork with state elections officials, entering the race for the seat being vacated by Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis.

In 2024, Morrow fell short in the general election to run the state’s Department of Public Instruction, losing to Democrat Mo Green.

During the 2024 race, Morrow called schools “indoctrination centers,” saying they were promoting “woke” ideology. She argued that her main GOP primary opponent wasn’t conservative enough. Her opponents, meanwhile, highlighted a video of her outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 202, and pointed to conspiracy theories she has promoted, as well as her call for the public execution of former President Barack Obama — something that Obama himself referenced in 2024 a Charlotte speech.

To pick who represents their parties in the general election in November, however, Republicans and Democrats will first have primary elections to choose their party's nominee. Primary election day is March 3.

Morrow enters an already crowded GOP primary — and one in which Republican President Donald Trump has already endorsed a different candidate, Michael Whatley.

In addition to Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chairman, she'll also have to compete for votes with Waxhaw lawyer Don Brown, Smithfield educator Elizabeth Temple, Garner business consultant Bryan Johnson and Margot Dupre of Charlotte.

On the Democratic side, the primary so far includes former Gov. Roy Cooper, High Point pastor Orrick Quick, Wilmington lawyer Marcus Williams and Daryl Farrow of Jacksonville.

Shannon Bray has also filed to run as a Libertarian candidate.

The general election is set for Nov. 3.

U.S. Senate terms are for six years.