Jockeying kicks off to fill Vance vacancy in Senate

Source: The Hill

11/10/24 5:00 PM ET


Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) is facing a key decision on whom to tap to fill the term of Vice President-elect Vance as jockeying among Ohio Republicans for the coveted appointment is set to become a knife fight.

Vance will be departing the upper chamber only two years after winning his seat, creating a vacancy that will have ramifications both immediately and down the line. The appointed senator would be staring down back-to-back campaigns: a high-stakes special election in 2026 and a race in 2028.

With a rare opening, Republicans are expecting an intraparty battle in a state that has become increasingly red in recent years. “[The] jockeying will be intense,” Rep. Dave Joyce (R-Ohio) said. Discussions are still in their infancy, but speculation is running rampant over whom DeWine may pick, with the governor’s office already receiving a steady stream of outreach from interested parties.

“A lot of people are calling,” DeWine told reporters Thursday. “We’re just going through the process of starting to think about this and see who would be the best person.”

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4981631-senate-vacancy-vance-ohio-dewine/