(NewsNation) — With Ohio Sen. JD Vance soon moving to a new office in Washington, D.C., there will be a vacancy for his Senate seat from the Buckeye State.
Vance and his running mate, President-elect Donald Trump, won the presidential election over Vice President Kamala Harris, and now, he has months before stepping away from the Senate. He will take office in January as one of the youngest vice presidents in American history.
Who gets JD Vance’s Senate seat?
Vance was first elected to the Senate in 2022 with a term slated to end in 2028. But now, Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will be tasked with picking a temporary replacement for Vance until a special election is held in November 2026, reported The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Under state law, the governor must pick “some suitable person having the necessary qualifications for senator,” which leaves a broad swath of potentials.
The person chosen as Vance’s replacement could run in the special election unless there is a Republican primary for the nomination.
Whoever emerges will likely face a Democrat for the seat. The winner in 2026 would serve out the rest of Vance’s term.
Who is on the shortlist to replace Vance as an Ohio senator?
DeWine hasn’t named any potential choices publicly, nor has Vance announced possible suggestions. But several contenders could be in the running, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
They include Jane Timken, who served as chair of the Ohio Republican Party and ran for Senate in 2022, and state Sen. Matt Dolan, who lost to Bernie Moreno in this year’s GOP primary, according to the outlet.
Others who have said they would be interested in taking the seat are former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose.
