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Blackburn political strategist Ward Baker thanks staff, volunteers and supporters following Tennessee Republican gubernatorial nominee and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn's win inside the campaign's war room at the Knoxville Convention Center during primary election night, Aug. 6, 2026.

 Hamilton Matthew Masters

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has tapped Tennessee political strategist Ward Baker to help the GOP win back seats for the U.S. Senate in 2028.

Democrats took control of the U.S. House, flipping 46 seats, and Senate, flipping eight seats, in the election on Nov. 3. Baker, who was previously the NRSC executive director before founding his consulting firm, joins a group of GOP leaders on the NRSC transition team to chart a comeback in the next election cycle, as first reported by Axios.