COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will be making his long-awaited appointment to the U.S. Senate next week, replacing Vice President-elect JD Vance. However, the governor exclusively told me that he hadn't called anyone to tell them they were the appointment.
As of Friday, Vance had officially resigned from his seat in Congress as he prepares to join the White House with President-elect Donald Trump.
For months, DeWine has been interviewing candidates to fill the vacancy. While doing so, the governor has been skillfully avoiding my constant pestering and my records requests for his schedule.
"I'm not ready to make an announcement yet, but the announcement will be coming soon," he smiled at me Wednesday.
But now, we finally have a timeline.
"I’ll have an announcement probably next week," DeWine told reporters in Florida Thursday.
On Thursday, the governor visited Trump's resort, Mar-a-Lago, for a Republican governor event, where he, once again, touched on qualities he wants in his appointment.
"I want someone who understands Ohio, who has a deep knowledge of our state," he said. "We need a strong advocate there."
This wasn't the first time DeWine had gone to see Trump in Florida. I was the first to report that the governor and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted visited Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump and Vance at the end of 2024.
Over the past month, Husted quickly became the frontrunner to replace Vance. He has also had to deal with me bombarding him with questions.
Most he just shyly smiles at and lets DeWine answer.
RELATED: Ohio Gov. DeWine and Lt. Gov Husted visit Trump, Vance ahead of U.S. Senate appointment
While at the Wednesday press conference on an unrelated topic, the first question came from a reporter who asked for DeWine's thoughts about former Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton running for governor.
"I suspect there'll be a lot of people running for governor," DeWine responded.
"Is one of them in the room, or are they going to get the US Senate seat?" I interjected to the governor, nodding toward Husted.
DeWine seemed somewhat amused (or annoyed) at my pivot, but said he is not ready to make an announcement yet.
The LG has always wanted to run for governor and has kept quiet during this time. But he did address the speculation on Wednesday.
"We're considering all of the options," Husted said.
Is Husted waiting to see if Trump will endorse him for governor before making a decision? No, DeWine responded for his second-in-command.
"We're not waiting for anything at this point," the governor said.
Neither would comment on anything said during their conversations with the soon-to-be president.
"How have your trips been to Mar-a-Lago," I asked Husted.
DeWine, instead, responded.
"I've had one and it was fine," the governor responded. "The weather was good, it's a lovely place, it's a great place."
Husted has been expected to run for governor against Attorney General Dave Yost. But in the past few months, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has shown interest.
Ramaswamy, from Cincinnati, is now chair of the Department of Government Efficiency under Trump but had originally expressed a desire to be appointed to the Senate.
"Trump's decisive victory on Tuesday opens up a lot of possibilities to change the country," Ramaswamy responded to me when I asked about his interest in the seat right after the election. "We're obviously having discussions and they're not going to be sorted out in the press."
Strategists believe that Ramaswamy would be a threat to Husted, considering he is a well-known multi-millionaire and could fund his own campaign.
Now, a U.S. Senate seat does seem valuable — especially when the fate of the 2026 gubernatorial race isn't clear.
Click here to read more about Husted's journey to frontrunner.
A group of politicos closer to the situation explained that there may be some other ideas at play, not just Ramaswamy. Husted has a family that has lived in Ohio for their entire lives.
"Of all his responsibilities, Jon considers his most important role as that to be a loving husband to his wife Tina, and father to Alex, Katie and Kylie," Husted's biography reads.
Both of his daughters are teenagers, including one with a couple of years left in high school.
But if it isn’t Husted, there are other names that strategists spoke highly of.
Onto the names
This list is not exhaustive and only reflects the views of more than three dozen Ohio political insiders in different offices and professions. This is an updated list from my version directly after the election. However, it remains the same as the story I did in Dec.
To prevent being swindled by politicos trying to plug their clients or friends, I created restrictions. Each of the individuals on this list has been mentioned to me more than ten times.
I checked in with insiders Thursday and Friday — and most hadn't changed their opinions.
Jane Timken
Jane Timken, of Northeast Ohio, was one of the most popular names referenced.
She is a Trump ally who ran for U.S. Senate in 2022 and is currently the RNC Committeewoman for Ohio. She also has a good relationship with institutional Republicans like Rob Portman.
She would be the first female U.S. Senator in Ohio history.
"I would be honored to serve Ohio in the U.S. Senate," Timken told me. "Of course the decision is up to Governor DeWine."
More than a third of the politicos I spoke to said Timken. She makes sense for a variety of reasons, including DeWine's legacy, strategists said. She has a disposition similar to that of the governor, some added.
Robert Sprague
Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague was also floated consistently.
He has been working in politics for years. He previously was a member of the state House, representing parts of Northwest Ohio. Prior to that, he served as the Findlay auditor and treasurer.
“The Treasurer is a two-time statewide winner, has never lost an election, and has served Ohioans with integrity in the Treasurer’s office," Sprague's campaign spokesperson Dalton Throckmorton said. "He deserves to be a part of the conversation.”
Sprague would be a smart pick for DeWine since he shares a similar temperament but is more conservative and could get the Trump endorsement, politicos said.
Jay Edwards
State Rep. Jay Edwards' name popped up within the last month but continues growing.
Edwards serves as the chair of the House finance committee. He represents Southeast Ohio. He is the youngest on this list and would be the youngest senator if appointed. That could be good, strategists say because he would get to spend years there and earn seniority.
The lawmaker continues to be one of the strongest fundraisers of the entire General Assembly.
Edwards declined to comment.
Frank LaRose
Sec. of State Frank LaRose was mentioned as a possibility.
He ran for U.S. Senate in 2024. He was a U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret before representing parts of Northeast Ohio in the state Senate.
"Secretary LaRose has always answered the call of duty. He’s been a soldier, a senator, and a statewide officeholder, so he has a lot to offer Ohioans in the U.S. Senate if the governor asks him to serve there," LaRose's spokesperson Dan Lushek said. "For now, he’s focused on the current mission, which is wrapping up one of the smoothest and most successful presidential elections in state history and preparing for the next election cycle."
However, over half of the politicos I spoke to said LaRose is gunning for a spot in Trump's administration.
Matt Dolan
State Sen. Matt Dolan was an early frontrunner. Strategists say that faltered when realizing he would likely not win Trump's endorsement.
Dolan, one of the most moderate Republicans at the Statehouse, serves as the chair of the Senate finance committee. He represents Northeast Ohio.
DeWine endorsed Dolan in the last U.S. Senate Republican primary, but he finished second to Bernie Moreno. Politicos offered that if Dolan doesn't get the appointment, DeWine will likely help support him in another role, including possibly LG if Husted gets the seat.
His team declined to comment.
Possible LG appointment
If Husted gets the appointment, that means that the lieutenant governor position will become available.
I spoke with one dozen politicos about this. The individuals on this list were mentioned at least five times.
Strategists believe the frontrunners for LG include Jane Timken, Matt Dolan, Jay Edwards, Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik and state Senator Michele Reynolds.
Timken, Dolan and Edwards didn't respond to comment publicly on the LG question.
"I love my job!" Mihalik told me. "I am not going to disclose the content of private conversations."
Mihalik is a close ally of the governor and made it into the possible appointment list in Dec. However, she seemed not to want it.
"I am focused on state government and that is where I plan to stay involved," Mihalik told me last month.
She was previously the mayor of Findlay before DeWine chose her to lead the dept. Under her watch, Intel, Honda, GM and Ford chose to invest in the state.
Reynolds, a Republican from the further-out suburbs of Columbus, had seemingly not been aware of her popularity for LG.
"This is the first that I have heard of any possible conversations about me replacing LG Jon Husted," Reynolds told me. "I trust the Governor to do right by Ohio and he has my full support with whomever he decides to choose."
However, this isn't the first time she has been offered up as a good second-in-command. Politicos have been telling me for months that Reynolds was being eyed as a possible lieutenant governor to Husted — as was Edwards.
"I certainly don’t want to speculate what LG’s decision is at this time," Reynolds responded. "Right now my focus is being a great State Senator and serving the people of Ohio."
Rumors
More than a dozen times, politicos have told me that DeWine or his team have called Senate hopefuls to let them down gently in early January, leading to a section of "finalists."
DeWine's team told me Friday that this isn't true.
"He has not called anybody to tell them that they are not the appointment," DeWine's spokesperson Dan Tierney told me. "And he has also not called anybody to tell them they are the appointment."
I was unable to get clarification on whether this meant that the governor had not chosen the appointment or if he just didn't do it by a literal phone call.
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