One of the top contenders to fill Vice President-elect J.D. Vance’s seat in the U.S. Senate recently made a trip to President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate, as the decision on who will take over looms. According to Ohio law, Republican Governor Mike DeWine is responsible for appointing a replacement for Vance until 2026. At that time, a special election will be held to determine who will complete the rest of Vance’s term, which ends in 2028. The winner of this election would then need to run again in 2028 to secure a full six-year term.
Governor DeWine is expected to make his decision soon, with the new Congress set to be sworn in on January 3. Earlier this week, DeWine visited Trump’s Palm Beach residence along with Republican Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted, who is considered a leading candidate for Vance’s replacement according to News 5 Cleveland. Dan Tierney, spokesperson for DeWine’s office, mentioned that the governor is looking for someone who is a “workhorse,” qualified and ready to gain Ohio voters’ trust for another term.
NEW: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted visited Mar-a-Lago to meet with President-elect Donald Trump and VP-elect JD Vance ahead of the governor making an appointment to the U.S. Senate.@WEWS @WCPO @OhioCapJournalhttps://t.co/ybw1O9V5AC
— Morgan Trau (@MorganTrau) December 21, 2024
In addition to Husted, other names are being discussed as potential candidates. Mehek Cooke, a Republican attorney known for her role as a political and legal surrogate for Trump in 2024 within the pro-Trump state of Ohio, is one such name. Cooke has built a reputation as an effective GOP fundraiser and has defended Trump against politically motivated prosecutions on various media platforms.
Businessman and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy was initially seen as a strong contender but was recently appointed to lead a new presidential task force focused on reducing government waste alongside X owner Elon Musk. This appointment seems to exclude him from consideration at present; however, Ramaswamy has shown interest in potentially running for governor in the future.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine takes Jon Husted to Mar-a-Lago as possible JD Vance Senate replacement
– There is significant speculation that Jon Husted might be appointed to replace JD Vance in the U.S. Senate.
– The decision lies with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who has the… pic.twitter.com/bOoVf4l3WT
— Doug Billings (@DougBillings) December 21, 2024
Other possible candidates include State Senator Matt Dolan—an ally of DeWine who previously ran unsuccessful primary campaigns against Vance and Senator-elect Bernie Moreno—and former Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who also competed against Moreno in primaries. The state’s Republican Attorney General Dave Yost is another name reported by Fox News as being under consideration.
LaRose commented that while he remains committed to his current duties—ensuring secure elections and addressing federal citizenship records—he stands ready if called upon but trusts Governor DeWine will act in Ohio’s best interest.