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The United States Chamber of Commerce, the nation鈥檚 largest business lobbying group, plans to play an aggressive role in the 2016 elections in a bid to maintain Republican control of the Senate and strengthen the ranks of business-friendly forces in Congress.

The group 鈥渨ill be very aggressive鈥� in the battle to keep a Republican majority in the Senate, said Chamber president and CEO Thomas Donohue. Republicans currently have an eight seat advantage in the Senate but in the 2016 election will need to defend 24 seats versus just 10 for Democrats.聽

Speaking at a Monitor-hosted breakfast for reporters, Mr. Donohue said the Chamber also would be active in the battle for 28 open seats in the House.

The Hill newspaper a Chamber official saying the group would commit as much as $100 million to the 2016 election, versus the estimated $70 million it spent on the 2014 election. While declining to confirm that estimate, Donohue said the Chamber would engage in 鈥渧igorous participation in the electoral process in 2016.鈥� He added that the level of Chamber spending would depend on how much money the organization could raise. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 keep it in the basement,鈥� he quipped.

Donohue made clear that part of the Chamber鈥檚 election efforts will be aimed at countering the influence of hard-line legislators like members of the House Freedom Caucus, who have not supported the Chamber鈥檚 legislative agenda. That agenda includes immigration reform, reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank, and finding a consistent funding source for spending on highways.

鈥淲hen the tea party was first formed and they had four or five principles of sound economics, reasonable taxation 鈥� I mean who can be opposed to that?鈥� Donohue said. 鈥淏ut it has gone far beyond that to the point that it has lost sight of what the fundamental reality is, and that is to govern in a way to create economic growth and to create jobs.鈥�

Those on the other side of the debate see their battle with the Chamber as part of 鈥渢he conflict between free markets and cronyism.鈥� That is how David Boaz, executive vice president of the libertarian Cato Institute framed the issue in a recent in the Washington Times. He added that 鈥渢he long conflict between pro-market and pro-business forces may lead to some divisive Republican primaries this year.鈥澛�

Only some tea partyers will be vulnerable in primaries in the 2016 election, says Bruce Josten, the Chamber鈥檚 executive vice president for government affairs, who also spoke at the breakfast. 鈥淪ome of the tea party members 鈥� I would have to say are fairly entrenched. There is not going to be a viable challenger that is going to succeed against them.聽 We are not going to put good money after a bad outcome.鈥�

Donohue lamented the absence of moderates from both parties. 鈥淭hat hole in the middle is getting bigger as more and more people get very conservative and more people get very liberal,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e hope to fill that hole with the American people who need the government to act on [their] behalf.鈥�

While focusing on the Chamber鈥檚 ongoing struggle with Republican conservatives, Donohue also took a verbal swipe at Democrats. 鈥淲e are also concerned about the move to the far, far, far left and what that is doing to the Democratic Party.鈥� Donohue said that the Chamber would keep looking for Democrats to support. 鈥淚f we even get some opportunities there, we would think about that as well,鈥� he said.聽

While the Chamber typically does not take part in presidential politics, reporters asked Donohue about his view of businessman and presidential candidate Donald Trump. 鈥淚f other candidates on both sides focus the message a little more clearly, I don鈥檛 think he will keep the lead he now has,鈥� Donohue said.