With JD Vance leaving Ohio’s Senate and moving to Vice President, and Jon Husted replacing him, Robert Alexander, BGSU political science professor said this is rare and the first time it’s ever happened to this scale in Ohio.
“It’s not very frequent that it happens. JD Vance is the first Vice President candidate in Ohio who was a senator,” said Alexander.
Alexander explained that because this is one of the first of its kind, things aren’t fully set in stone. Here is what we do know.
Who is our new senator?
According to the Ohio governor website, Jon Husted is appointed the new Ohio senator filling JD Vance’s term. Husted was the lieutenant governor under Governor DeWine before his promotion.
While Husted was lieutenant governor, he focused on growing Ohio’s workforce, strengthening economic development and improving government efficiency.
Why don’t Ohio voters get to choose the new senator?
There are a few reasons why Ohio voters don’t get to choose who replaces Vance. In these cases, the empty seat is chosen by the state governor. In our case, Governor Mike DeWine.
“We allow our governor to determine who that person is going to be, they get to nominate and install who will serve out the remainder of JD Vance’s term,” Alexander said.
Ohio voters do not get to vote on who the new senator would be because of the long process. Another reason why Ohio has DeWine chose our new senator is if Ohio did have a race and a special election, most voters would not come to vote.
On Friday, Jan. 17, DeWine appointed Husted to fill Vance’s vacant seat.
Husted is going to try and get noticed for his accomplishments while in Congress to help him get re-elected.
“They’re gonna do what they can to try and set themselves up for success…” said Alexander.
Husted is going to try to do this because re-election is in two years, and it is a midterm election where voters react against the president’s party.
“Republicans will likely not do as well as expected in 2026, because it’s a midterm election of their party controls the presidency,” Alexander said.
Before Friday, Jan. 17, Governor DeWine had not appointed someone into the senate seat and had no specific timeline.
“The new Congress has already been sworn in and so Ohio is Senator-less for Vance’s position,” Alexander said.
When senators and congressmen were taking their oaths of office in Washington D.C., Ohio only had one senator, Bernie Moreno, take the oath. Meanwhile, a vacant seat was looking to be filled by DeWine.
What’s next?
2026 is going to be a big year for Ohio politics with the senator seat going for re-election and the governor seat being open as well.
“The other thing to be watching is the dominos will start to fall because whoever Dewine chooses to be the senate replacement then those other republicans that were vying for it then throw their name in the hat for governor,” said Alexander. The 2026 election will be one to watch out for with all the candidates running for governor.
Alexander explained that the first election is often the hardest for new candidates.
“The Senate race typically for candidates, your first election is typically your hardest election…the fact that this person whoever it is will not have been elected, but appointed, will make it even more difficult for them (to be reelected),” Alexander said.
Husted will have to make himself known to Congress and Ohio voters if he wants to get re-elected next year.
“They would have a couple of years to kind of build up more name recognition and explanation of what they’re done in D.C.,” said Alexander.
Take note of Ohio politics in 2026 because it’s a big year.
“It’s kind of a big deal because only 2026 will be a huge year in Ohio,” said Alexander.
Ohio voters will soon be re-electing the governor, a senator and congressman.
