Ohio’s governor will have a Senate seat to fill if Republicans recapture the White House in November.
On Monday, former President Donald Trump tapped Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, to join him on the ballot this fall, solidifying a strong conservative ticket to challenge the most radical presidential administration to date.
“After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The announcement came less than 48 hours after a failed assassination attempt on Trump — which, paired with the alarming decline of the 81-year-old incumbent, underscores the importance of vice-presidential picks.
“President Trump has made a great choice and Senator Vance will be a great partner as they campaign together this fall,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement.
Vance, however, was far from DeWine’s pick for the open Senate seat vacated by Rob Portman in 2022.
DeWine refrained from making an endorsement in the 2022 Senate primary while facing an inner-party challenge of his own from former GOP Rep. Jim Renacci. But in this year’s Republican Senate contest, DeWine backed the candidate who was the polar opposite of the Middletown native in the form of state Sen. Matt Dolan, the establishment favorite whom voters rejected twice for the U.S. Senate nomination.
There are many directions things could go
