Bernie Moreno Eyes NRSC Leadership Role in 2028 Election

By Sam Barron | Thursday, 26 February 2026 06:19 PM EST

Two Republican senators have indicated that Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, is considering a run to lead the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 2028 election cycle. Moreno, who defeated three-term incumbent Sherrod Brown in 2024, has reportedly told his Republican colleagues of his intentions to assume the NRSC leadership role.

“He’s a machine,” said Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., adding that “he is always working and he’s an incredible fundraiser.”

Two other Republican senators told Moreno that he would have the position if he desired it, though a member of leadership recently suggested Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., for the role.

Moreno is considered well-liked within the Senate GOP Conference, maintains close ties with the White House and President Donald Trump, and has built a substantial donor network during his 2024 Senate campaign. He has also donated prodigious sums to the NRSC. Colleagues describe him as “ambitious and smart,” and he has taken a prominent role in negotiating healthcare policy.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is currently led by Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who has announced he will not seek re-election in 2028. Republicans hold 53 seats in the Senate and are targeting pickups in Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, and New Hampshire during the 2026 election cycle while defending seats in Texas, Iowa, North Carolina, Maine, Alaska, and Ohio. Potential battleground races for the Senate in 2028 include Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.