Ivanka Trump suggests Lara Trump will be the next in the family to run for office

Lara Trump was a local television anchor before she married Eric Trump and is popular in her home state of North Carolina, where a senate seat is opening up in 2022

Ivanka Trump has poured fuel on speculation about Lara Trump's political ambitions, suggesting her sister-in-law will be the first to try and continue the dynasty.

Lara Trump, born in Wilmington, North Carolina, has for several months been rumoured to be considering a senate bid in 2022.

On Wednesday The Hill reported that she was indeed plotting to take the seat that Republican Richard Burr will vacate, and was leading in the early polls.

Ivanka retweeted the story, with an approving caption of American flags.

Ivanka’s brother Donald Trump Jr is also said to be considering a political future, and has lapped up calls for him to run for the White House in 2024 – unless his father tries again.

Ivanka Trump, 38, is thought by some to be mulling over remaining in politics; others, however, insist she has been bruised by the experience and will retreat to New Jersey or New York to try and resurrect her brand and business.

If Lara, 38, does decide to run she stands a strong chance of claiming the seat.

A BUSR/UNLV Lee Business School poll released on Monday found that Lara Trump leads her likely challenger, Pat McCrory, a former governor of North Carolina, 24 per cent to 23 per cent, although this is within the poll’s seven-point margin of error.  

The leads by Lara Trump and Mr McCrory far surpass support for Mark Walker, a congressman for the state, who is the only major candidate so far to launch a campaign for the senate seat.

He polled at 7 per cent among the North Carolina Republicans surveyed.  

Mr Burr, 65, announced back in 2016 that this term – his fourth – would be his last. 

His state has historically been Republican, and voted for Donald Trump this year. 

However, North Carolina has increasingly emerged as a swing state, with Mr Trump winning by slightly over 1 percentage point – considerably closer than in 2016.

The state, along with places he lost such as Georgia and Wisconsin, is likely to be a focus of the Republican efforts in 2022.

If Ms Trump does run, it will be a blow to Mr Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows, who was a congressman for North Carolina before joining the White House team, and is thought to be considering another run.

Ms Trump was a television producer for Inside Edition and also worked as a personal trainer and professional chef before she became involved in her father-in-law’s politics.

She also served as a campaign adviser to her father-in-law in 2016 and 2020, and campaigned for the president at North Carolina rallies in the lead-up to Election Day.

She served as a campaign adviser to Mr Trump in 2016 and 2020, and campaigned for the president at North Carolina rallies in the lead-up to Election Day.