Governor Appoints Jon Husted to Fill Senate Seat Vacated by Incoming Vice President Mike Pence

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine chose his lieutenant governor, Jon Husted, to fill the Senate seat vacated by incoming Vice President JD Vance.

Husted, 57, is the former Ohio House speaker and two-term Ohio secretary of state. He will serve in the U.S. Senate until Dec. 15, 2026. A special election for the last two years of Vance’s six-year term will be held in November 2026.

DeWine formally made the announcement during a Friday afternoon press conference.

"As I was looking for the right person, I wanted someone who knew Ohio," said DeWine. "It takes awhile, candidly, to get to know this state."

He said although a quick drive through Ohio may lead someone to believe it's all farmland, the state is filled with metropolitan areas and diverse populations.

"When you walk in the United States Senate, whether you're the most junior or the most senior, you can make a difference," said DeWine. "And you can make a difference whether you're in the minority party or if you're in the majority party."

DeWine acknowledged that he took his time in announcing his pick, but said that's because the importance of the appointment was never lost on him.

"Serious times demand serious people," said DeWine.

Husted said his focus in the Senate won't differ significantly from the topics he's focused on as lieutenant governor. Specifically, he said he wants to impact how new and emerging technologies have played a part in the lives of Ohioans and Americans.

"In the end, this was easy," said Husted of the decision to accept the appointment. "It's a decision about service for me and my family and where we can have the most impact, and there's no doubt the U.S. Senate is where you can have an impact for every man, woman and child in America."

Husted has been the front-runner for the Senate seat, but recently another possible candidate began expressing renewed interest in it. Cincinnati native Vivek Ramaswamy stepped into the conversation in January after he'd declined the role in favor of heading up President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency efforts alongside Elon Musk.

At Friday's press conference, DeWine was asked about what he planned to do now that he has yet another position to fill: the role of lieutenant governor.

"I don't know, this one's been hard enough," said DeWine, laughing. "We're going to take the weekend and go to the inaugural and then I'll think about it."