Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is reportedly expected to select Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to fill the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Vice President-elect J.D. Vance.

Multiple sources informed Signal Statewide of the governor’s decision, Signal Cleveland reports. 

🚨 #BREAKING: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will select his Lieutenant Governor, Jon Husted, as the next U.S. Senator from Ohio – Signal Cleveland pic.twitter.com/XLxkJxVEyK

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 17, 2025

DeWine will hold a 1 p.m. press conference in Columbus, but his office declined to elaborate on further details.

Per Signal Cleveland:

But several Republican sources told Signal that DeWine will announce that he’s picking Husted after a months-long deliberation. The development is an about-face for Husted, who long has planned to run for governor in 2026 to succeed DeWine, who can’t run again because of term limits. But a source said the decision reflects concern that Husted would have a hard time winning a Republican primary for governor in 2026. The race also is expected to feature Vivek Ramaswamy, a Columbus-area billionaire who became a well-known political media personality following an unsuccessful run for president in 2024.

The seat previously was held by JD Vance, a Cincinnati Republican who was elected to the Senate in November 2022. But Vance resigned after he was elected this past November to become vice-president. Under Ohio law, DeWine has authority to pick Vance’s replacement, but that person will have to run to keep the seat in 2026, and then again in 2028 when the term expires. The development will mean Ohio will have two novice U.S. senators after Husted joins Sen. Bernie Moreno, who defeated Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November.

JUST IN – Governor DeWine plans to pick Lt. Governor Jon Husted to fill JD Vance's Senate seat. pic.twitter.com/oGoirtZthW

— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) January 17, 2025

🚨BREAKING: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will reportedly appoint Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted as the next U.S. Senator from Ohio, per Signal Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/xVjt5SdOab

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 17, 2025

From The Columbus Dispatch:

Gov. Mike DeWine could announce his pick to replace Vice President-elect JD Vance in the U.S. Senate this afternoon.

DeWine is scheduled to hold a news conference at 1 p.m., but his office declined to provide further details about the topic of discussion. When asked about the appointment at an event Thursday, DeWine told reporters he would announce his decision “not too much later.”

Vance resigned his Ohio Senate seat last week. His replacement will serve in the Senate for two years and must run in the November 2026 election if he or she wants to keep the seat. The winner will fill out the remainder of Vance’s term, which ends in 2028.

Speculation about who DeWine will choose has run rampant. Sources have said Lt. Gov. Jon Husted is the front runner, but he’s been weighing whether to accept the appointment or pursue a run for governor in 2026. DeWine recently met with former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, and President-elect Donald Trump has urged Ramaswamy to take the Senate seat if it’s offered. Ramaswamy lives in suburban Columbus and grew up in the Cincinnati area.

Trump tapped Ramaswamy to help lead the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, with Elon Musk. It’s unclear what would happen to Ramaswamy’s position with DOGE if he becomes a senator.