
Ending months of speculation, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine chose his second-in-command, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, to succeed Vice President JD Vance in the Senate.
We first reported just after the election that Husted was the odds-on favorite for the appointment, but he was still weighing whether to accept the post and give up on his long-held dream of becoming governor.
Husted, 57, confirmed he will run in the 2026 special election, and he might have a relatively clear primary path in that endeavor, with more Republicans now eyeing the gubernatorial contest instead. If elected, Husted would then have to run for a full term in 2028.
The reality is that Husted is in a better position in 2026 as a senator than he likely would have been in a crowded GOP primary for governor, where he may not have gotten President Donald Trump’s endorsement.
That blessing could go to Trump’s one-time primary rival, Vivek Ramaswamy, who was supposed to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with Elon Musk. Instead, he’s expected to jump into the gubernatorial race this week,
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