Here’s What Happens to Vance’s Senate Seat When He Becomes VP

Jockeying is underway to replace Vice President-elect JD Vance of Ohio in the Senate.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) under state law will appoint Vance’s replacement after he resigns from the seat he has held since 2023 to assume the vice presidency. That successor would serve until a special election in 2026.

DeWine has previously said he would choose a successor who could compete in that election. Republicans would be favored to hold the seat in a state that has favored Trump the last three elections.

Ohio’s deep bench of federal and statewide officeholders and past Senate aspirants gives DeWine a wealth of options.

Jane Timken, a former state party chair who ran against Vance for Senate in 2022, would be “honored to be considered” for the job and would pursue Trump and Vance’s “mandate to secure the border, reduce inflation, make our community safe, and, you know, grow America into prosperity.”

A woman has never represented Ohio in the Senate. Trump’s endorsement of Vance two years ago propelled Vance over opponents like Timken and former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel in that primary.

Timken said a potential appointment would be “a signal to other women that you can be a strong, intelligent, female Trump supporter and be an effective leader.”

Other past Senate aspirants include state Sen. Matt Dolan and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who lost this year’s primary to Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio). Spokesmen did not return requests for comment.

Vivek Ramaswamy, an Ohio-born entrepreneur who allied with Trump after an unsuccessful bid for president, previously said he’d “strongly consider” serving in the Senate if asked. DeWine, a former senator and House member himself and longtime figure in establishment Republican politics, will likely face pressure to choose Ramaswamy or a Republican that similarly reflects the state’s increasingly populist lean.

“Donald Trump has cultivated a coalition of outsiders and independent thinkers who will transform the federal government and revitalize our state and country,” said Ramaswamy spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin. “The best way to determine who and how they impact change won’t be sorted out in the press.”

DeWine could also pick a current member of the House, where a vacancy would require another special election.

Potential appointees from that GOP delegation include Rep. Max Miller, a former aide in Trump’s White House; House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner; and Rep. Mike Carey, a member of tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.

Carey is “honored to be mentioned for the role, but his focus is first and foremost on serving” his district, said spokesperson Theresa Braid.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (R) will speak with DeWine about the opening, but “this morning is about celebrating a great victory for Ohio and the American-First movement,” Husted spokesman Drew Thompson said.

The timeline for appointing a new senator is dependent on Vance’s resignation date, said DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney.

Vance could opt to resign before the Jan. 20 inauguration to give any potential replacement more seniority, a key factor in determining committee assignments. Most freshmen senators will be sworn in Jan. 3 along with the rest of the new Congress.