Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs FIRST ON FOX: The senior staff for the new National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) that will help incoming Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., in his quest to expand the GOP majority in 2026 were revealed on Thursday, and they include veterans of President-elect Donald Trump, Scott himself and former Vice President Mike Pence. Scott, who was chosen to lead the NRSC in the upcoming cycle, will be assisted by a slate of veteran GOP operatives. Jennifer DeCasper, Scott’s longtime chief of staff and top adviser, will be the next NRSC executive director. Stephen DeMaura will join her as deputy executive director. He served as Pence’s 2024 presidential campaign manager and has an extensive history of working with campaigns and outside groups to win elections. PETE HEGSETH SAYS HE HASN’T HEARD FROM WEST POINT SINCE EMPLOYEE ‘ERROR’ DENYING HIS ACCEPTANCE “Two years of complete Republican control is good, but four years of a Trump agenda is even better,” Scott said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Defending the majority, going on offense, and advancing President Trump’s agenda requires an elite team to execute at the highest levels. I’m excited about the organization we are building, the wins we will put on the board, and the results we will deliver for the American people.””Jennifer DeCasper is an outstanding choice to lead the NRSC as Executive Director,” current NRSC Chairman Steve Daines, R-Mont., said in a statement. “As a trusted advisor to Senator Tim Scott, she’s proven to be a master at navigating both politics and policy. Her strategic insight, relentless drive, and commitment to conservative principles make her uniquely equipped to help us keep and grow our hard-fought Senate majority.”MIKE LEE LOOKS TO HALT WELFARE FOR ILLEGALS GOING ON UNDER BIDEN WITH KEY BUDGET PROCESS Cara Mason, a Trump alum, will serve as finance director. Nathan Brand is joining the NRSC team as Scott’s senior adviser. The committee’s next political director will be Brendan Jaspers, who previously served as director of campaigns at the Club for Growth. The NRSC’s next communications director will be Joanna Rodriguez, who is currently running communications for Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb. Ricketts will be taking on the role of vice chair at the NRSC for the 2026 cycle as well. Additionally, veteran Senate staffer Brennen Britton will be the NRSC’s director of external affairs and the committee’s senior finance adviser will be Brittney Godoy, who has led Scott’s fundraising efforts in the past. FARM STATE REPUBLICANS APPEAR SKEPTICAL ABOUT RFK JR AMID HIS QUEST FOR HHS CONFIRMATION “It will take a team of seasoned, conservative operatives to ensure President Trump has a Senate majority for his entire term, and that’s exactly who Senator Scott has lined up,” said Ricketts in a statement. “I’m especially excited to see a member of my senior staff, Joanna Rodriguez, join the team. She will share her experience crafting winning, conservative messages with incumbents and challengers across the map. As an NRSC Vice Chair and in-cycle Senator, I’m confident this team will do whatever it takes to win races and champion President Trump’s agenda of prosperity and security.”The NRSC noted the value added by the wide range of political experience that each member of the team brings to the table, which they believe will help to maintain and grow a GOP Senate majority to work with Trump. RFK JR. SAYS HE PLANS TO ALSO MEET WITH DEMS IN BID TO GET CONFIRMED AS TRUMP HHS HEAD In 2026, there are several races expected to be competitive, including those for the seats of Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Susan Collins, R-Maine. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., has made an aggressive case to her fellow Democrats to let her take on the role of Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chairwoman during the same cycle. Central to her pitch has been her ability to speak effectively to voters in purple areas, which she says Democrats must do.
