JD Vance will be vice president: What's next for his Ohio Senate seat
Less than two years after JD Vance was sworn in to the Senate, he is packing his bags for Washington to be the next vice president of the United States.
Vance will be inaugurated on Jan. 20, just two years after he took the oath of office for his first Senate term. At 40 years old, he will be one of the youngest vice presidents in American history.
Following Vance's resignation from the Senate, which could come close to Inauguration Day, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will choose his successor. DeWine, a Republican and former senator, is expected to pick a member of the GOP.
DeWine's appointee will serve until a special election is held in November 2026.
Democrats will put up a challenger for the general election, and there could be a GOP primary if other Republicans are interested. The winner in 2026 would serve out the rest of Vance's term, which ends in 2028. That person could then run for reelection in 2028.
More: JD Vance, a Cincinnati resident and Middletown native, to be next vice president
Who could replace JD Vance in the Senate?
DeWine is keeping his cards close to his chest, but electability is an important factor for him. The Senate remains closely divided after Tuesday's election, and 2026 could be a tough year for Republicans since they'll control the White House.
"If Donald Trump is elected, then we will start our process to look at people and talk to people," DeWine told reporters last week. "Some people have already contacted me. I've already met with some people at their request."
Potential names began floating around months ago. Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said he would "strongly consider" being senator, though he's also eyeing a bid for governor in 2026. Another prospect is Jane Timken, who served as chair of the Ohio Republican Party and ran for Senate in 2022.
DeWine could also go with his previous pick: State Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, who lost to Bernie Moreno in this year's GOP primary despite the governor's endorsement. Secretary of State Frank LaRose ran against Moreno and Dolan and told Signal Cleveland he'd be interested in the appointment.
Vance, for his part, declined to speculate about who could fill his Senate seat when he voted Tuesday: "I'm way too superstitious to think about those things."
Contributing: Jessie Balmert and Victoria Moorwood, the Cincinnati Enquirer; Riley Beggin, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Who will fill JD Vance's Senate seat? Options after Trump win.