Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted during their victory party for the Ohio gubernatorial race during the Republican Party of Ohio’s election night party at the Sheraton Capitol Square on November 6, 2018. (Photo by Justin Merriman/Getty Images)
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted visited Mar-a-Lago to meet with President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance before the governor’s appointment to the U.S. Senate.
It’s one of the most important decisions DeWine will have to make soon.
“I continue to interview people about their interest in running for the United States Senate,” DeWine told reporters Friday.
Current Ohio Senator JD Vance will have to resign on Inauguration Day, leaving his coveted seat vacant.
The governor previously said he wants someone who can not only win the 2026 primary and general election, but also hold the seat in 2028.
“This has to be someone who really wants to do the job and do the job and who we think is capable of doing it,” he said, adding that the Senate nominee could also stay in the seat for a long time. .
The person should also be concerned about their role, he continued.
“It’s going to take someone who’s going to really focus on the state of Ohio, who’s going to focus on national issues — someone who’s going to really work hard…” DeWine said after the November election. “This is not for the faint of heart, this is not for someone who just wants to get a seat.”
During a breakfast the governor hosted for journalists earlier this month, he added a new consideration.
“You’re especially making a difference when the numbers are going to be, I think, 53-47,” DeWine said. “Every vote counts.”
When asked if the razor-thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives would play a role in his decision, he said it was “a factor” in his decision.
“It is a reality,” the governor said. “It’s where we are today after the president took a few.”
This means he is unlikely to appoint a sitting member of Congress.
We’ve spoken to more than three dozen Republican strategists, advisers, lobbyists and campaign staffers over the past week.
When push came to shove, the vast majority saw Lt. Gov. Jon Husted as the frontrunner. We’ve been trying to get a hold of DeWine on Husted for weeks.
At the breakfast, invited Statehouse journalists joined the governor, First Lady Fran, and the lieutenant governor, as well as members of their communications team. After dinner, DeWine stood up and asked questions for about 30-45 minutes.
Not surprisingly, the first question asked was an update on the Senate’s choice. He explained his criteria and danced around the probing questions.
“Does the candidate happen to be in the room at a different table?” we asked. “His name might rhyme with Ron Rusted.”
Amid laughter and attempts to deflect, the governor said, “no comment on that.” Husted laughed and seemed to blush.
We tried again at the press conference on Friday.
“How did your conversations go with Lt. Governor Jon Husted regarding his possible candidacy for the U.S. Senate?” we asked the governor.
“Well, I’m not going to… look,” the Governor said for less than a second with a seemingly amused (or annoyed) grin. “I’m not going to discuss that.”
However, the governor and LG’s team exclusively confirmed to Us that the couple was recently at Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump and Vance, but declined to comment on their conversation.
However, a week earlier, DeWine said over breakfast that he had spoken to Trump and Vance about the appointment.
Husted has only been the leader in recent days, strategists told me. This is because the LG always wanted to be governor and is endorsed by DeWine for governor.
But a seat in the U.S. Senate appears valuable — especially if the fate of the 2026 governor’s race is unclear.
Husted is expected to run for governor against Attorney General Dave Yost. But in recent months, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has shown interest.
Ramaswamy, from Cincinnati, is now chairman of the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency under Trump, but had expressed a desire to be appointed to the Senate.
“Trump’s decisive victory on Tuesday opens up many opportunities to change the country,” Ramaswamy said when we asked him about his interest in the seat just after the elections. “We are of course having discussions and they will not be clarified in the press.”
Strategists believe that Ramaswamy would be a threat to Husted as he is a well-known multi-millionaire and could finance his own campaign.
After DeWine finished the questions portion of the breakfast, we asked if we could ask Husted one last question.
“If you had the choice, would you rather be a senator or governor?” we asked.
He didn’t respond, but both he and the governor laughed. DeWine then closed the gag.
But if it’s not Husted, there are other names that quarterbacks praised.
On to the names
This list is not exhaustive and merely reflects the views of more than three dozen Ohio political insiders in various offices and professions. This is an updated list from my version right after the election.
To avoid being scammed by politicians who try to deceive their customers or friends, we have put restrictions in place. Each of the people on this list has been mentioned to us more than ten times.
Jane Timken
Jane Timken, from Northeast Ohio, was one of the most popular names referenced.
She is a Trump ally who ran for U.S. Senate in 2022 and is currently the RNC committeewoman for Ohio. She also has a good relationship with institutional Republicans like Rob Portman.
She would be the first female U.S. senator in Ohio history.
“I would be honored to serve Ohio in the U.S. Senate,” Timken told me. “The decision is obviously up to Governor DeWine.”
More than a third of the politicians we spoke to, Timken said. She makes sense for several reasons, including DeWine’s legacy, strategists said. She has a character similar to that of the governor, some added.
Robert Sprague
Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague was also consistently highlighted.
He has been working in politics for years. He previously served in the State House representing parts of Northwest Ohio. Previously, he was Findlay’s auditor and treasurer.
“The Treasurer is a two-time statewide winner, has never lost an election and has served the people of Ohio with integrity in the Treasurer’s office,” said Sprague’s campaign spokesman Dalton Throckmorton. “He deserves to be part of the conversation.”
Sprague would be a smart choice for DeWine because he shares a similar temperament but is more conservative and could win Trump’s support, politicians said.
Jay Edwards
State Rep. Jay Edwards’ name surfaced over the past two weeks, but continues to grow.
Edwards is chairman of the House Finance Committee. He represents Southeast Ohio. He is the youngest on this list and would be the youngest senator if confirmed. That could be a good thing, strategists say, because he could spend years there and earn seniority.
The Legislature remains one of the strongest fundraisers in the entire General Assembly.
Edwards declined to comment.
Frank LaRose
Sec. of State Frank LaRose was mentioned as a possibility.
He ran for the U.S. Senate in 2024. He was a Green Beret in the U.S. Army Special Forces before representing parts of Northeast Ohio in the Senate.
“Secretary LaRose has always risen to the call of duty. He has been a soldier, senator and statewide office holder, so he has a lot to offer Ohioans in the U.S. Senate if the governor asks him to serve there,” said LaRose’s spokesman Dan Lushek. “For now, he is focused on the mission at hand, which is wrapping up one of the smoothest and most successful presidential elections in the state’s history and preparing for the next election cycle.”
However, more than half of the politicians we spoke to said LaRose is seeking a place in Trump’s administration.
Matt Dolan
State Senator Matt Dolan was an early frontrunner. Strategists say he hesitated when he realized he likely wouldn’t get Trump’s endorsement.
Dolan, one of the most moderate Republicans in the Statehouse, chairs the Senate Finance Committee. He represents Northeast Ohio.
DeWine endorsed Dolan in the last Republican primary for the U.S. Senate, but he finished second behind Bernie Moreno. Politicos offered that if Dolan doesn’t get the appointment, DeWine will likely help him in another role, including possibly LG if Husted gets the seat.
His team declined to comment.
Lydia Mihalik
Lydia Mihalik is director of the Ohio Department of Development and a close ally of the governor. She, like Edwards, had turned up this past week.
She previously served as mayor of Findlay before DeWine chose her to lead the department. Under her watch, Intel, Honda, GM and Ford chose to invest in the state.
She would be a good choice, but probably not a “cheaper for Trump,” many strategists said.
Anyway, she doesn’t seem to want it.
“I am focused on state government and that is where I plan to continue to be involved,” Mihalik said.
Honorable mentions
Before DeWine’s comments about likely not electing Congress, strategists brought up U.S. Reps. Mike Carey, Warren Davidson and Dave Joyce.
DeWine’s timeline
DeWine has some time to think.
“It is my understanding that Senator Vance will not resign until the first of the year,” the governor said. “So it’s unlikely we’ll have anything sooner.”
To be clear, it’s possible that all of these politicians were wrong and that DeWine is going to appoint a “dark horse.”
This article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland.
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