DeWine and Husted visit Trump, Vance ahead of US Senate nomination

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. 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 U.S. Senate,” DeWine told reporters Friday.

Incumbent Ohio Senator JD Vance will have to resign before Inauguration Day, opening up his coveted seat.

Earlier, the governor said he wants someone who can not only win the 2026 primary and general election, but who can hold on to the seat in 2028.

“This has to be somebody who really wants to do the job and get the job done and who we believe has the ability to do it,” he said, adding that the Senate appointee would also be able to stay in the seat for a long time. .

He would consider appointing someone who has no political experience.

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The person must also care about their role, he continued.

“It takes someone who really wants to focus on the state of Ohio, wants to focus on national issues — someone who really wants to work hard…” DeWine said after the November election. “This is not for the faint of heart, it’s not for anyone who just wants a seat.”

At a breakfast the governor hosted for reporters earlier this month, he added a new consideration.

“You make a difference especially when the numbers are going to be 53-47,” DeWine said. “Every vote matters.”

When asked if the razor-thin majority in the US House of Representatives would play a role in his decision, he said it was “a factor” in his decision.

“It’s a reality,” the governor said. “That’s where we are today after the president took a few.”

That means he likely won’t appoint a sitting member of Congress.

I spoke with more than three dozen Republican strategists, consultants, lobbyists and campaign workers over the past week.

When it came down to it, the vast majority saw Lt. Gov. Jon Husted as the frontrunner. I have been trying to find DeWine at Husted for several weeks now.

At the breakfast, invited Statehouse journalists sat with the governor, First Lady Fran, lieutenant governor, as well as members of their communications team. After eating, DeWine stood up and took about 30-45 minutes of questions.

Not surprisingly, the first question asked was an update on the Senate election. He explained his criteria and danced around the probing questions.

“Does the candidate happen to be in the room at another table?” I asked. “His name might rhyme with Ron Rusted.”

Through laughter and attempts to deflect, the governor said, “no comment on that.” Husted laughed and seemed to blush.

At the press conference on Friday, I tried again.

“How have your conversations with Lt. Governor Jon Husted been about his possible run for the US Senate?” I asked the governor.

“Well, I won’t—see,” said the governor with an apparently amused (or annoyed) smile for less than a second. “I don’t want to discuss anything related to that.”

However, the governor and LG’s team exclusively confirmed to me that the couple was at Mar-a-Lago recently to meet with Trump and Vance, but they would not comment on their conversation.

At the breakfast a week before, however, DeWine said he had spoken with Trump and Vance about the appointment.

Husted has only been a front runner in recent days, strategists told me. This is because LG has always wanted to be governor and is endorsed by DeWine as governor.

But a U.S. Senate seat seems valuable — especially when the fate of the 2026 gubernatorial race isn’t clear.

Husted is expected to run for governor against Attorney General Dave Yost. But in recent months, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has shown interest.

Ramaswamy, of Cincinnati, is now chairman of the 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 a lot of opportunities to change the country,” Ramaswamy told me when I asked about his interest in the seat right after the election. “Obviously we are having discussions and they are not going to be sorted out in the press.”

Strategists believe Ramaswamy would be a threat to Husted, given that he is a well-known multimillionaire and could fund his own campaign.

After DeWine finished the question portion of the breakfast, I asked if I could ask Husted one last question.

“If you had a choice, would you rather be senator or governor?” I asked.

He did not answer, but both he and the governor laughed. DeWine then shut down the gaggle.

But if it’s not Husted, there are other names that strategists talked about a lot.

To the names

This list is not exhaustive and reflects only the views of more than three dozen Ohio political insiders in various offices and professions. This is an updated list from my version directly after the election.

The day after the election, we will issue our second list of possible candidates.

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To avoid being scammed by politicians trying to hook up their clients or friends, I set up restrictions. Each of the people on this list has been mentioned to me more than ten times.

Jane Timken

Jane Timken of Northeast Ohio was one of the most popular names referenced.

She is a Trump ally who ran for US Senate in 2022 and is currently the RNC Committeewoman for Ohio. She also has a good relationship with establishment 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 United States Senate,” Timken told me. “Obviously, the decision is up to Governor DeWine.”

More than a third of the politicians I spoke to, Timken said. She makes sense for a variety of reasons, including DeWine’s legacy, strategists said. She has an attitude similar to that of the governor, some added.

Robert Sprague

Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague was also consistently floated.

He has worked in politics for years. He was a former member of the state house representing parts of northwest Ohio. Prior to that, he served as Findlay auditor and treasurer.

“The treasurer is a two-time statewide winner, has never lost an election and has served Ohioans with integrity in the treasurer’s office,” said Sprague campaign spokesman Dalton Throckmorton. “He deserves to be part of the conversation.”

Sprague would be a smart choice for DeWine, as he shares a similar temperament but is more conservative and could garner Trump approval, politicos said.

Jay Edwards

State Rep. Jay Edwards’ name came up within the last two weeks, but continues to grow.

Edwards serves as chairman of the House Finance Committee. He represents southeast Ohio. He is the youngest on this list and would be the youngest senator if appointed. That could be good, strategists say, because he would get to spend years there and earn seniority.

The legislature remains one of the strongest fundraisers of the entire General Assembly.

Edwards declined to comment.

Frank LaRose

Sec. of State Frank LaRose was mentioned as a possibility.

He is running for the US Senate in 2024. He was a US Army Special Forces Green Beret before representing parts of Northeast Ohio in the state senate.

“Secretary LaRose has always answered the call of duty. He’s been a soldier, a senator and a statewide public servant, so he has a lot to offer Ohioans in the U.S. Senate if the governor asks him to serve there,” LaRose spokesman Dan Lushek said. “For now, he is focused on the current mission, which is ending one of the smoothest and most successful presidential elections in the state’s history and preparing for the next election cycle.”

But more than half of the politicians I spoke to said LaRose is seeking a place in Trump’s administration.

Matt Dolan

State Sen. Matt Dolan was an early front runner. Strategists say it faltered when they realized he was unlikely to win Trump’s endorsement.

Dolan, one of the most moderate Republicans in the Statehouse, serves as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. He represents Northeast Ohio.

DeWine endorsed Dolan in the last Republican U.S. Senate primary, but he finished second to Bernie Moreno. Politicos offered that if Dolan doesn’t get the appointment, DeWine is likely to help support him in another role, including possibly LG if Husted gets the seat.

His team declined to comment.

Lydia Mihalik

Lydia Mihalik is the director of the Ohio Department of Development and a close ally of the governor. She had appeared, as had Edwards, over the past week.

She was previously the mayor of Findlay before DeWine tapped 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 likely would not be a “rubber stamp for Trump,” many strategists said.

At least she doesn’t seem to want to.

“I’m focused on state government, and that’s where I plan to stay involved,” Mihalik told me.

Honorable mentions

Before DeWine’s comments about likely not being elected from Congress, strategists were hovering U.S. Reps. Mike Carey, Warren Davidson and Dave Joyce.

DeWine’s timeline

DeWine has some time to think.

“My understanding is that Senator Vance will not resign until after the first of the year,” the governor said. “So it’s unlikely we’ll have anything before that.”

To be clear, it is possible that all of these policies were wrong and that DeWine will appoint a “dark horse.”

If you have been investigated by the governor, please feel free to contact me.

Follow WEWS Statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.