JD Vance’s Senate seat will be filled by Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, DeWine announced
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JD Vance’s Senate seat will be filled by Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, DeWine announced

COLUMBUS – Lt. Gen. Jon Husted will replace Vice President-elect JD Vance in the U.S. Senate, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Friday, throwing a wrench in Ohio’s 2026 race for governor.

Husted’s appointment ends weeks of speculation about who will join Sen. Bernie Moreno, who was sworn in earlier this month after defeating former Senator Sherrod Brown in November. Husted will serve in the Senate through 2026 and must run in that year if he wants to keep the seat.

Under Ohio law, the winner of the November 2026 election will fill out the remainder of Vance’s term, which ends in 2028.

“I believe and know that Jon is prepared to be a United States Senator from the state of Ohio,” DeWine said. “The United States Senate rewards hard workers. It rewards those who master the facts. It rewards those who focus on getting things done.”

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted speaks at the Ohio Statehouse after accepting Gov. Mike DeWine's nomination to the U.S. Senate on Friday.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted speaks at the Ohio Statehouse after accepting Gov. Mike DeWine’s nomination to the U.S. Senate on Friday.

Husted was long considered the frontrunner for the Senate seat, but he wrestled with whether to accept the appointment or seek to replace limited time DeWine as governor. His appointment ensures he will avoid a bruising Republican primary for governor that could include former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Attorney General Dave Yost and Treasurer Robert Sprague.

More: Vivek Ramaswamy to announce run for Ohio governor ‘shortly’

Husted said he changed his mind “probably 100 times,” calling it a choice between “the two best things you can do in the state of Ohio.”

“Ultimately, it’s the opportunity to go to Washington right now — not in two years, but now — to work with President Trump and a Republican majority, to do things that I think will make America a better country.” Husted said. “And when you look at it, it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

It is unclear when Husted will be officially sworn in as a senator. He and his family do not plan to move to Washington, DC, and will travel back and forth from Ohio as needed.

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Ramaswamy emerged as a late contender for the Senate seat after withdrawing his name two months ago. President-elect Donald tapped Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Efficiency with Elon Musk, but he urged recently The Ohio contractor to accept the Senate appointment if offered.

Ramaswamy is now expected to continue with his original plan, according to a source familiar with his thinking: Tackle the task ahead of him at DOGE and announce a run for governor in 2026. The source said he is expected to launch his campaign “shortly”.

DeWine called Trump on Friday and said the president-elect was “gracious” and spoke favorably of Husted. The lieutenant governor said he also spoke with Trump, Vance and Moreno.

Who is Jon Husted?

Husted became lieutenant governor in 2019. He teamed with DeWine in the 2018 election after a brief run against him and the pair defeated Democrat Richard Cordray amid national losses for Republicans. Before that, Husted was secretary of state, Ohio House speaker and state senator.

Husted, who was adopted by his parents, became emotional Friday as he discussed his work with foster care, adoption and child protection from predators online.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted becomes emotional as he accepts Gov. Mike DeWine's nomination to the U.S. Senate at the Ohio Statehouse on Friday.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted becomes emotional as he accepts Gov. Mike DeWine’s nomination to the U.S. Senate at the Ohio Statehouse on Friday.

During his tenure as DeWine’s No. 2, Husted championed economic development and helped persuade Intel to build a $28 billion semiconductor plant in central Ohio. He also enjoyed a moment in the national spotlight when he delivered the vice presidential nomination speech for Vance at last year’s Republican National Convention.

DeWine will need to appoint someone to serve as lieutenant governor for the next two years. He declined to say Friday who he is considering for the role.

Reporter Laura Bischoff contributed.

Haley BeMiller covers state government and politics for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article was originally published on The Columbus Dispatch: JD Vance will be replaced in the US Senate by Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted