In a move widely praised by President Donald Trump’s base, a conservative senator is stepping up to fill the Senate leadership role left by retiring Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC).
Freshman Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH) has been officially appointed as the new deputy whip for Senate Republicans. Congressional whips play a crucial role in shaping legislation and, most importantly, counting votes and rallying support within the conference to ensure the passage of bills.
“Bernie has already proven to be a strong, effective deputy whip. During our marathon of votes, he worked nonstop for 27 hours to keep our Conference united and ultimately secured passage of our Republican agenda. In his short time in the Senate, he’s become an integral member of the team,” Sen. John Barrasso, the Senate Majority WhiP, announced in a press release.
“His focus on helping working families, deep knowledge of business, and commitment to commonsense have led to big wins for America, such as ending the Biden electric vehicle mandate. I’m glad to fight for a safer, more prosperous America alongside my friend Bernie,” he added.
Tillis was one of three Republicans who voted against the Trump-backed Big Beautiful Bill, a move that nearly derailed the president’s legislative agenda. Following this vote, President Trump announced plans to meet with potential primary challengers to Tillis. Shortly thereafter, Tillis announced he would not seek re-election next year.
During the lengthy debate over the Big Beautiful Bill, Moreno played a crucial role in blocking Democrat-led efforts to undermine the permanent extension of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and proposed changes to Medicaid.
“Senator Barrasso is a consistent, conservative leader driving our conference as we work to deliver on President Trump’s agenda of economic growth, closing the border, and putting American workers first,” Moreno announced in a press release of his own. “I’m thrilled to join the team as a Deputy Whip and to help our conference continue to deliver on our promises.”
The Ohio lawmaker is serving his freshman term in the Senate after defeating three-term incumbent Sherrod Brown in November. Although Brown maintained a polling lead for most of the race, Moreno ultimately secured the seat by a margin of just under four percentage points.
