Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno will chair the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 2028 cycle

Republicans Name Bernie Moreno and Brian Jack as New Campaign Chiefs

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Republicans selected new leaders for their House and Senate campaign committees on Tuesday to begin the long process of reclaiming congressional majorities.

The appointments come as the party attempts to rebuild following a midterm election cycle in which Democrats flipped more than 40 House seats and at least seven Senate seats, according to Roll Call.

Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno will lead the National Republican Senatorial Committee, succeeding South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, while Georgia Representative Brian Jack has been tapped to head the National Republican Congressional Committee, Roll Call reported.

The leadership shifts show the party is focusing on the 2028 election cycle as Republicans seek to offset recent losses and prepare for high-stakes battles in swing states.

New leadership targets the 2028 map

Bernie Moreno, a close ally of President Donald Trump, enters his new role as the Senate’s top Republican strategist while serving his first term in the chamber. Moreno previously ran for the Senate in 2022 before exiting a crowded primary that was eventually won by JD Vance.

Republicans Name Bernie Moreno and Brian Jack as New Campaign Chiefs
Photo: arcamax.com

His political momentum grew two years later when, bolstered by a Trump endorsement, he won a contested primary and ousted Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in the general election. However, Ohio politics remains volatile; Brown is poised to return to the Senate after defeating appointed Republican Senator Jon Husted in a special election for the term vacated by Vice President Vance, according to Roll Call.

“Republicans must enter this next election clear-eyed: the road ahead back to a Republican Senate majority will by no means be easy but the fight has never been so important,” Moreno said in a statement.

Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Moreno characterized the upcoming responsibility as “a hell of a job” and suggested the party would act as “absolute savages” to end government corruption. He also said that the Democrats might inadvertently assist the GOP by learning the wrong lessons from their recent victories.

After Democratic gains, Georgia’s Brian Jack will lead GOP push to win back House — Atlanta News First

The 2028 Senate races present a complex mix of defensive and offensive requirements for the party. Republicans will be defending battleground seats in Alaska, Iowa, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, while also eyeing potential pickups in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania, according to arcamax.com.

The party must also contend with the fallout from recent losses in Kansas and South Carolina, where Democrats secured surprise victories last week.

House Republicans reorganize after losses

In the House, Brian Jack defeated Indiana Representative Rudy Yakym III to become the next chairman of the NRCC. Jack takes over from outgoing chair Richard Hudson, who lost his North Carolina seat during the recent elections, according to Roll Call.

Jack’s rise mirrors the current GOP leadership profile; he was first elected to Congress in 2024 by using a close relationship with Trump to win an open seat near Atlanta.

His background includes serving as the White House director of political affairs during the first Trump administration and as a senior adviser to the president’s 2024 campaign. For the past two years, he has worked within the NRCC as the recruitment chair.

The challenge for Jack is large. House Republicans must find a way to erode the 40-plus-seat Democratic majority established last week. However, the party may find opportunity in the very geography that led to their recent setbacks, as Democrats won a substantial number of seats in territory that was historically considered red.

Leadership shifts in the Senate and House

While the campaign arms saw significant changes, the broader leadership structure saw some continuity. South Dakota’s John Thune was reelected as the Republican leader in the Senate without facing any opposition, Roll Call reported.

In a closed-door, secret-ballot election, Ohio Representative Jim Jordan defeated Louisiana Representative Steve Scalise to lead House Republicans starting next year.

Position New Leader Predecessor
NRSC Chair Bernie Moreno Tim Scott
NRCC Chair Brian Jack Richard Hudson
House Republican Leader Jim Jordan Steve Scalise (Defeated)

The internal tension of the recent election was evident in Ohio. While the state has trended heavily Republican over the last decade, Democrats saw success last week by winning several statewide offices and flipping three U.S. House seats. If Sherrod Brown runs again for a full term, his 2028 campaign will likely face intense scrutiny in his home state, Roll Call reported.

In a moment directed at the returning Brown, Moreno offered a piece of Washington advice on Tuesday: “Make sure you rent. Do not buy.”

Whether these new campaign chiefs can successfully translate their personal electoral successes into a broader party resurgence remains the central question for the GOP heading into the next four years.

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