(The Center Square) – Ohio’s next U.S. senator is in the hands of Gov. Mike DeWine after Vice President-elect J.D. Vance submitted his resignation Thursday night.
Vance, whose resignation took effect at midnight Friday morning, promised to help President-elect Donald Trump push his agenda forward as vice president. Trump and Vance will be sworn in Jan. 20.
In a statement, Vance said, “To the people of Ohio, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the privilege of representing you in the United States Senate. When I was elected to this office, I promised to never forget where I came from, and I’ve made sure to live by that promise every single day. The American people have granted President Trump an undeniable mandate to put America first, both at home and abroad. Over the next four years, I will do all that I can to help President Trump enact his agenda. Together, we will make America stronger, safer, and more prosperous than ever before.”
Filling Vance’s seat for the next two years falls on DeWine, a Republican governor who said recently he was waiting on Vance to resign before announcing a replacement.
DeWine will appoint someone to join freshman Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno in Washington to fill out the next two years of Vance’s term before running in a special election in 2026. The Senate flipped to Republican majority in the 2024 election cycle, and stands at 52-47 with the vacancy.
The winner of the special election will fill the final two years of Vance’s term.
Media outlets across the state have named Lt. Gov. Jon Husted as the front-runner to replace Vance.
Earlier this month, DeWine and Husted traveled to Mar-a-Lago in Florida to meet with Trump and Vance.
DeWine is reportedly also considering Secretary of State Frank LaRose and former Ohio Republican Party Chairman Jane Timken. Both lost the Republican primary to Moreno last year. The list also includes Rep. Mike Carey.