DeWine Meets Trump In Mar-a-Lago With Senate Replacement For VP Vance In Play: Report

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted traveled to Mar-a-Lago Friday to meet with President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, fueling speculation about the upcoming appointment to fill Vance’s soon-to-be-vacant U.S. Senate seat.

The governor and Husted's team confirmed to News5 Cleveland “that the pair were in Mar-a-Lago recently to meet with Trump and Vance," but  would not comment on their conversation. A week before, DeWine said he had spoken with Trump and Vance about the appointment.

"This has to be someone who really wants to do the job and do the work and who we think has the ability to do it," DeWine reportedly said.

Getting The Nod From Trump

The presence of Ohio's Husted at the Mar-a-Lago visit heightened speculation about DeWine's longtime political ally being invited along to ultimately gain Trump's approval.

Vance, who will resign his Senate seat to assume the vice presidency, leaves behind a position highly coveted in Ohio's political landscape. DeWine has implied his intention to select a candidate who can not only win the 2026 primary and general election but also secure reelection in 2028 to complete the term.

"I continue to interview people regarding their interest in going to the United States Senate," DeWine said.

In fact, local news has reported that entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who is from Cincinnati, has shown interest in the Senate post, though he's been appointed by Trump to co-run the new unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with Elon Musk.  

Read Also: Bernie Sanders Blasts ‘President Elon Musk’: Others Join Chorus As Government Shutdown Looms

The potential for a fierce battle looms in 2026. On the Democratic side, outgoing three-term Sen. Sherrod Brown has hinted at a political comeback. Brown, who lost his reelection bid last month to Trump-backed businessman Bernie Moreno, left the door open for future campaigns in his farewell Senate address, in which he said Ohioans "haven't heard the last" from him.

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Photo courtesy of Ohio Governor’s Office.