A Republican-led Senate will likely have a better partnership with the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency than a Democratic-led one, which has currently been wrangling with the two over data spying and compliance to congressional oversight.

If the GOP wins the Senate on Nov. 4, sources speculate North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr would be the best choice to chair the Senate Intelligence Committee. Burr, a blunt hawk who isn't afraid of ruffling feathers on the left or the right, is a staunch defender of government surveillance measures and enhanced interrogation methods.

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If appointed chair, Burr will forge a new bond with the CIA/NSA radically different from the one it currently has with current chair Diane Feinsten (D-Calif.) who has engaged in highly-publicized clashes with CIA Director John Brennan and NSA Director James Clapper.

According to a GOP aide speaking under condition of anonymity, a Burr-led committee would be poles apart from the one led by Feinstein.

Burr's approach will probably be more behind-the-scenes compared to Feinstein's more publicized one, he said.

He acknowledged that while adherence to committee oversight was important, the party doesn't intend to do this in a hostile manner. The most notable shift will be that people will be more focused on security rather than on "bashing" intelligence groups.

It must be noted however, that if Republicans pick up a net of six seats, Burr will have to decide which of two committees he wants to chair - Intelligence or Veteran Affairs.

Sources believe Burr will choose intelligence since it's been a long-time goal but a pivot to Veteran Affairs may also be possible considering his vulnerability in the polls in 2016.

"It's a competitive battle for the North Carolina Senate seat so you need all the help you can get," a GOP adviser said, noting the sheer amount of veterans in the state.

TagsRepublican Party, CIA, NSA, Senate Intelligence Committee, cyber espionage, politics, Richard Burr, Interrogation tactics, national security