Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has officially picked his lieutenant governor, Jon Husted, to fill the Senate seat left vacant by Vice President-elect JD Vance, and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has set his sights on a higher office after being passed over.
“I have worked with him, I have seen him. I know his knowledge of Ohio. I know his heart. I know what he cares about. I know his skills,” DeWine pointed out during a press conference held Friday at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. “All of that tells me he is the right person for this job.”
Explaining his decision, DeWine highlighted why Husted was his top choice to step into Vance’s position.
The governor laid out key qualities he was looking for in the replacement. “I wanted someone that had a firm grasp and understanding of the complexity of Ohio,” he noted. “I also wanted someone that understands the interaction between the federal government and the state government.”
DeWine also underlined the importance of a strong work ethic, saying, “I wanted a workhorse. [The] U.S. Senate rewards hard workers.”
Husted, who has been Ohio’s lieutenant governor since 2019, has a lengthy political resume. Before his current role, he served as Ohio’s secretary of state and had also been the speaker of the Ohio House.
Husted expressed his gratitude for the opportunity during DeWine’s press conference. “This decision was not made lightly,” he stated. “My family and I listened to the advice of so many people, including the governor and so many others.”
Husted is set to take on the role immediately but will need to campaign in a special election scheduled for November 2026 to fulfill the remaining years of Vance’s term.
If he wishes to continue beyond that time, Husted will also have to seek reelection in 2028 to secure a new term in the Senate.
Several prominent figures had been mentioned as possible nominees for the seat. Among them were Jane Timken, the Ohio Republican National Committeewoman; Ohio Republican Representative Mike Carey; and entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
Ramaswamy, a Cincinnati native, has reportedly pivoted his focus towards a different position in the state following the decision.
Sources told the Washington Post that he plans to announce his run for governor shortly after being overlooked for the Senate appointment.
The 39-year-old previously mounted an unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, ultimately endorsing President-elect Donald Trump.
Since then, he, along with billionaire Elon Musk, has been chosen by Trump to lead a new office for government spending accountability, dubbed DOGE.
“Vivek’s base plan remains [the] same: to get accomplishments at DOGE and then announce a run for governor shortly,” a source familiar with the matter revealed to the Post.
Insiders have suggested that Ramaswamy’s announcement is already drafted and ready for release.
DeWine, currently serving his final term as Ohio governor due to term limits, will not be running for reelection in 2026.
