'Great meeting': Tim Scott says Trump is doing 'everything' to protect Republican majority in 2026 midterm elections

Sen. Tim Scott (South Carolina) is the new chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, as President-elect Trump assists him in his mission to protect and expand the Republican majority in the Senate. He said he is cooperating with the

Mr. Scott was selected by his Republican colleagues last week to be the Senate Republican campaign chairman and met with former and future presidents at Mr. Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

“Had a great meeting with President @realDonaldTrump! He is doing everything he can to ensure @NRSC maintains a Republican majority for 4 years and creates opportunities for a generation!” Scott wrote on social media Thursday night. I wrote this in the post.

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After losing their Senate majority in the 2020 election, Republicans flipped four Democratic-held seats earlier this month and will control the chamber 53-47 when the next Congress convenes in the new year.

“What we're trying to do is protect the seats that we have and increase the majority that the party has brought in,” Scott told Fox News Digital last week in his first interview after being elected NRSC chairman. “The idea is to enlarge the map so that we can do more.” It's a victory for Trump. ”

In this month's election, unlike in 2016 and 2020, Trump outperformed many Republican Senate candidates.

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Scott told Fox News Digital that he wants President Trump to participate as much as possible in the 2026 Senate race.

“Every day, in every way, President Trump, I know you have a full-time job. I'm going to ask you to have two full-time jobs. Enlarge this map Let's do it,” Scott emphasized.

“That means we need President Trump every day to campaign, to fundraise, to talk to people, because this is the party of President Donald J. Trump,” he said. Because we need to make sure that we extend that from men to the general public.” We need him to do it. ”

Mr. Scott ran unsuccessfully for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination last year, and subsequently ended his candidacy and endorsed Mr. Trump. The senator attracted attention as a surrogate candidate for Mr. Trump during this year's election campaign.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump looks over at South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott during a FOX News Channel town hall on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, in Greenville, South Carolina. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Although not as favorable as the 2024 Senate map, the 2026 election landscape gives Republicans a chance to flip the seat.

Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff (Georgia) and Gary Peters (Michigan) are seeking re-election in two years' time in key battleground states that President Trump flipped last week.

And even though Trump lost, New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen will be seeking reelection in a perennial battleground state where she overperformed in 2020. Democratic Sen. Mark Warner is seeking reelection in Virginia, a state that Trump lost by just five points last week.

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“How do you spread out the map?” Scott asked. “Look at Georgia, Michigan, New Hampshire, Virginia. And for a further stretch, look at New Mexico and Minnesota. President Trump was very competitive in those states. ”

But Republicans will also have to play defense. Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins is up for re-election in a reliably blue state. And Sen. Tom Tills of North Carolina, a battleground state that Trump narrowly won, is also running in 2026.

“The good news is, as long as Susan Collins is running, I think we have a chance to win,” Scott said. “She won by a few points last time. She won by a few points this time. Thom Tillis is a North “I will remain in that position,” he emphasized. Carolina was perfect for our party. ”

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NRSC Chairman Sen. Rick Scott (Florida) was criticized for his intrusive approach in the Republican Senate primary, when the Republican Party's chances of regaining the majority in the 2022 election cycle were destroyed.

This past cycle, Montana Sen. Steve Daines, now former NRSC chairman, was involved in the Senate Republican nomination race.

Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, speaks at the Republican Jewish Federation's annual leadership conference in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 5, 2024. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)

Asked whether the NRSC would take sides in the competitive Republican Senate primary during the next two years of his term, Scott said, “I think what's best for us is what we'll be looking at next year.” I think it's something that families should talk about,” he said. It's about how we protect that map and make the best decisions we can in relation to making sure we end up with more seats than we have now. ”

“Thankfully, we're 53 years old. I hope we're 55,” Scott added.

Asked if his goal was to hold 55 seats, Scott joked: “If it was up to me, I could get 100 seats.”

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Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who easily won re-election in the blue state of New York earlier this month, is expected to become chair of the rival Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. Senate Democrats will hold a leadership election later this year.

“Democrats made history in a tough political environment,” David Bergstein, DSCC communications director for the past several election cycles, told Fox News. “We won the election. We dramatically outperformed the president.” For the first time in more than a decade, Senate Democrats won multiple elections in states won by the opposing party's presidential candidate. ”

“The outcome of this cycle puts Senate Democrats in the strongest position to regain the majority in 2026,” Bergstein said.