First on Fox: Senate GOP campaign committee looks to streamline operations to hold majority in 2026
2025-02-10
Category: political

EXCLUSIVE: Republicans are showcasing their "team effort" as they aim to defend and expand their Senate majority in the 2026 midterm elections. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the Senate GOP's campaign arm, unveiled its new vice chair program as the panel held its annual winter meeting this past weekend in Palm Beach, Florida. According to sources attending the event, who shared details first with Fox News Digital, the five vice chairs serving under NRSC Chair Sen. Tim Scott will operate as an informal board of directors, providing ideas, oversight and accountability as the committee works to expand its services and seeks to modernize and become more streamlined. "We’re one team. President Donald J. Trump and Senate Republicans are united to deliver for the American people and protect our Senate majority. The team effort is stronger than ever thanks to this tremendous group of Vice Chairs who have stepped up to raise the resources and build the organization needed to win," Scott said at the winter meeting. SENATE REPUBLICANS JUMP OUT TO FAST START IN THIS KEY CAMPAIGN METRIC  Scott was named NRSC chair for the 2026 cycle soon after Republicans, in November's elections, flipped four seats from blue to red to win back control of the Senate and hold a 53-47 majority in the chamber. The five vice chairs, previously announced by Scott, are Sens. Jim Banks of Indiana, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Katie Britt of Alabama, Bernie Moreno of Ohio and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska. TRUMP-BACKED 2024 GOP SENATE NOMINEE IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE MOVING TOWARDS ANOTHER RUN IN 2026 During a panel discussion this past weekend with Majority Whip Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the vice chairs highlighted their pledge to help Scott protect incumbents facing difficult re-elections in the upcoming midterm elections, and to raise the resources needed to win. "Each of these Vice Chairs contributes their unique experiences and passions to the fight to defend our incumbents, raise resources, and recruit top tier talent in the seats we want to flip," Barasso emphasized.  Among the vice chairs' duties going forward are holding regular meetings to discuss and review NRSC budget items, fundraising progress and relevant political updates,&nbsp; They also pledged to each raise $5 million for the committee, help with candidate recruitment and take part in a new incumbent protection program, in which each vice chair will be responsible for walking alongside four to five Senate Republicans up for re-election in 2026. "Failure isn’t an option, and that’s why I am committed to this role – to making sure the NRSC wins in battleground states and keeps the Majority so we can continue working with President Trump to turn Promises Made into Promises Kept," Britt said. MEET THE REPUBLICAN SENATOR TASKED WITH DEFENDING THE GOP'S SENATE MAJORITY IN 2026 Blackburn emphasized that "I'm committed to working with our incumbents to develop aggressive new media strategies. We will deliver our message of prosperity and opportunity through as many platforms as possible and meet the American people where they are." Banks highlighted that "it's critical we leverage every resource available to protect and expand our Senate majority. Senate Republicans and President Trump are unified. I'm ready to&nbsp;make sure we're using every tool we have to win and continue delivering for&nbsp;the American people."&nbsp; Moreno stressed that "it’s essential we hold our majority in 2026 to ensure President Trump has allies for four full years in the Senate." Additionally, Ricketts pledged that the vice chairs "will ensure the NRSC has the resources necessary to protect&nbsp;and expand our majority."&nbsp; Senate Republicans enjoyed a very favorable map in the 2024 cycle as they won back control of the majority. An early read of the 2026 map shows they will continue to play offense in some states, but will be forced to play defense in others.  The GOP will target an open Democrat-held seat in battleground Michigan, where Sen. Gary Peters announced two weeks ago that he would not seek re-election in 2026. They will also target first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff in battleground Georgia and longtime Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in swing state New Hampshire. CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP However, Democrats plan to go on offense in blue-leaning Maine, where GOP Sen. Susan Collins is up for re-election, as well as in battleground North Carolina, where Republican Sen. Thom Tillis is also up in 2026.