Scoop: Senate GOP freezing out House lawmakers ahead of 2026
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
The National Republican Senatorial Committee is urging big-dollar donors to freeze out ambitious House lawmakers from jumping into 2026 Senate races.
Why it matters: GOP party leaders know stemming retirements in 2025 is a big part of keeping the House in 2026.
- Plus, NRSC Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.) wants to avoid messy primaries.
- Anyone looking to fund GOP Senate races in Texas and Michigan should only give to Sen. John Cornyn and former Rep. Mike Rogers, NRSC political director Brendan Jaspers told national donors Tuesday on a conference call.
🎯 The real targets of the call weren't on the line, and they weren't mentioned by name.
- But the implication was clear: Reps. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) and Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) should not be thinking about the Senate.
- The emphasis on Cornyn also sends a message against helping Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has announced a primary challenge.
- "No other candidates for Senate in these states, declared or posturing, should receive financial support from the donor and PAC communities until they have made the smart decision to remain in the House and defend the president's margins there," Jaspers said, according to a person familiar with the call.
An NRSC spokesperson, Joanna Rodriguez, did not dispute Jasper's private comments.
- "Leader Thune and Chairman Scott have been clear that the NRSC's goal is to protect President Trump's Majority in the Senate, and they know Mike Rogers and John Cornyn are the best candidates to do that in their respective races," she said.
Zoom out: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and his top political lieutenants, NRCC chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) and Rep. Brian Jack (R-Ga.), met with President Trump on Monday at the White House.
- Hours later, the president endorsed several House candidates.
- Johnson is acutely aware retirements could decimate his ranks and make his job of retaining the speakership that much harder.
What they're saying: "My preference, of course, is everybody stays, and we get the job done together," Johnson told Axios on Wednesday during an exclusive News Shapers interview.
- "But I don't begrudge anyone for seeking a higher office — governor or senator.
- "And there'll be some folks who retire. It's just inevitable in the cycle," he said.
- "I'm in the candidate recruitment phase right now, so we're working to recruit high-quality folks to run."
Editor's note: This article has been updated with comments by the NRSC.
