Republican Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted will succeed Vice President-elect JD Vance in the U.S. Senate, the state's governor announced Friday. Gov. Mike DeWine’s decision ends months of jockeying among top Ohio Republicans for the coveted seat,

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (R-OH) is expected to replace Vice President-elect J.D. Vance in the Senate, ending weeks of speculation as Washington, D.C., prepares to inaugurate President-elect Donald Trump for a second time.

Husted will join freshman Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno in Washington to fill out the next two years of Vance’s term before running in a special election in 2026. The Senate flipped to a Republican majority in the 2024 election cycle and now stands at 53-47 with the appointment.