MILWAUKEE — Minutes after Monday’s big question at the Republican National Convention was answered, Ohio delegates turned their attention to another question: Who will replace J.D. Vance in the Senate?
If Trump’s newly minted running mate wins the vice presidency in November, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine would need to pick a replacement senator. One name already being floated within the Ohio GOP is Jane Timken, the former chair of the state party who ran for Senate in 2022 but lost to Vance, according to a source familiar with the conversations.
Timken is already having conversations with Ohio Republicans about taking the vacant seat in the Senate if Trump wins the election, the source told NOTUS and another source confirmed.
“Obviously, I would consider it. I ran for the Senate in 2022,” Timken told NOTUS on the floor of the convention. “If there’s a vacancy, obviously, it’s up to Gov. DeWine, but I love Ohio, and I’d be honored to serve.”
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DeWine, however, told reporters he would not start thinking about who could replace Vance until after November.
“I’m not going to talk about that until we get through this election. We have to win,” DeWine said. He added that he’s “focused” right now on Bernie Moreno’s Senate race against incumbent Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.
One source involved in Ohio politics floated House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, who is among the most popular Republicans in the state.
When asked for comment on if Jordan would be interested in the seat, his office did not deny it.
“Mr. Jordan is focused on his work at the Judiciary Committee and getting President Trump and Vice President Vance elected,” a Jordan spokesperson said.
Another source familiar told NOTUS Rep. Dave Joyce is being talked about as a potential Vance replacement. Joyce’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Oriana González and Reese Gorman are reporters at NOTUS.
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