COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted visited Mar-a-Lago to meet with President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance ahead of the governor’s appointment to the U.S. Senate .

It’s one of the most important decisions DeWine will have to make soon.

“I continue to survey people about their interest in going to the U.S. Senate,” DeWine told reporters Friday.

Current Ohio Senator JD Vance must resign by Inauguration Day, vacating his coveted seat.

Previously, the governor said he wanted someone who could not only win the primary and general election in 2026, but also keep his seat in 2028.

“This has to be someone who really wants to do the job and is doing the work and who we believe has the ability to do it,” he said, adding that the Senate appointee could also remain in office for a long time .

He would consider appointing someone who has no political experience.

DeWine “wouldn’t rule out” appointing a U.S. senator without political experience.

RELATED: Ohio Gov. DeWine “wouldn’t rule out” appointing a U.S. senator without political experience.

The person also needs to care about their role, he continued.

“It takes someone who’s really focused on the state of Ohio, who’s focused on national issues — someone who’s going to work really hard…,” DeWine said after the November election. “This is not for the faint of heart, this is not for someone who just wants to get a spot.”

At a breakfast the governor hosted for journalists earlier this month, he added a new consideration.

“They especially make a difference when the numbers are, I guess, between 53 and 47,” DeWine said. “Every vote counts.”

Asked whether the razor-thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives would play a role in his decision, he said it was “a factor” in his decision.

“It’s a reality,” the governor said. “Here we are today, after the president took a few.”

That means he likely won’t appoint a sitting member of Congress.

I spoke with more than three dozen Republican strategists, consultants, lobbyists and campaign staffers in the past week.

Ultimately, the vast majority saw Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted as the frontrunner. I’ve been trying to pin DeWine on Husted for weeks.

At the breakfast, invited Statehouse journalists sat with the governor, first lady Fran, lieutenant governor and members of their communications team. After the meal, DeWine stood and answered questions for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Not surprisingly, the first question was for an update on the Senate election. He explained his criteria and skirted around the nagging questions.

“Does the candidate happen to be at another table in the room?” I asked. “His name could rhyme with Ron Rusted.”

Amid laughter and attempts at distraction, the governor said, “No comment.” Husted laughed and appeared to blush.

I tried again at the press conference on Friday.

“How did your discussions go with Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted about his possible run for the U.S. Senate?” I asked the governor.

“Well, I won’t—look,” the governor said with what seemed like an amused (or annoyed) grin for less than a second. “I will not discuss anything regarding this.”

However, the governor and the LG team exclusively confirmed to me that the two were recently at Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump and Vance, but they declined to comment on their conversation.

However, at breakfast a week earlier, DeWine said he had spoken to Trump and Vance about the appointment.

Husted has only been the frontrunner in recent days, strategists told me. This is because the LG has always wanted to be governor and is recommended by DeWine for governor.

But a seat in the U.S. Senate seems valuable — especially when the fate of the 2026 gubernatorial election is unclear.

Husted was expected to run for governor against Attorney General Dave Yost. But in recent months, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has shown interest.

Ramaswamy, of Cincinnati, is now chairman of the Department of Government Efficiency under Trump but had expressed a desire to be appointed to the Senate.

“Trump’s decisive victory on Tuesday opens up many opportunities to transform the country,” Ramaswamy told me when I asked about his interest in the seat right after the election. “We are obviously having discussions and they are not being resolved in the press.”

Strategists believe Ramaswamy would pose a threat to Husted, considering he is a well-known multimillionaire and could finance his own election campaign.

After DeWine finished the question portion of the breakfast, I asked if I could ask Husted one last question.

“If you had the choice, would you rather be a senator or governor?” I asked.

He didn’t answer, but both he and the governor laughed. DeWine then ended the group.

But if it’s not Husted, there are other names that strategists have praised.

About the names

This list is not exhaustive and merely reflects the views of more than three dozen Ohio political insiders in various offices and professions. This is an updated list of my version right after the election.

The day after the election, we published our second list of possible candidates.

The race to succeed JD Vance in the US Senate is on

RELATED: The race to succeed JD Vance in the US Senate is on

To avoid being scammed by politicians trying to dupe their customers or friends, I have introduced restrictions. Each of the people on this list has been mentioned to me more than ten times.

Jane Timken

Jane Timken of Northeast Ohio was one of the most frequently mentioned names.

She is a Trump ally who ran for U.S. Senate in 2022 and is currently the RNC committeewoman for Ohio. She also has good relationships with institutional Republicans like Rob Portman.

She would be the first female U.S. Senator in Ohio history.

“It would be an honor to represent Ohio in the U.S. Senate,” Timken told me. “Of course, the decision is Governor DeWine’s.”

More than a third of the politicians I spoke to said Timken. It makes sense for a variety of reasons, including DeWine’s legacy, strategists said. Some added that she has a similar disposition to the governor.

Robert Sprague

Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague was also regularly released.

He has been active in politics for years. He was previously a member of the House of Representatives, representing parts of northwest Ohio. He previously served as comptroller and treasurer at Findlay.

“The treasurer is a two-time statewide winner, has never lost an election and has served Ohioans with integrity in the treasurer’s office,” said Sprague campaign spokesman Dalton Throckmorton. “He deserves to be part of the conversation.”

Sprague would be a smart choice for DeWine because he has a similar temperament but is more conservative and could draw Trump’s support, politicians said.

Jay Edwards

State Rep. Jay Edwards’ name has been popping up in the last two weeks but is becoming more common.

Edwards serves as chairman 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 a good thing, strategists say, because he could spend years there and earn seniority.

Lawmakers continue to be one of the strongest fundraisers in the entire General Assembly.

Edwards declined to comment.

Frank LaRose

State SEC Frank LaRose has been mentioned as a possibility.

He is running for U.S. Senate in 2024. He was a Green Beret in the U.S. Army Special Forces before representing parts of northeast Ohio in the state Senate.

“Secretary LaRose has always answered the call of duty. “He has been a soldier, senator and incumbent across the state, so he has a lot to offer Ohioans in the U.S. Senate if the governor asks him to serve there,” LaRose spokesman Dan Lushek said. “For now, he is focused on the current mission, which is to complete one of the smoothest and most successful presidential elections in the state’s history and prepare for the next election cycle.”

However, more than half of the politicians I spoke to said LaRose was seeking a place in Trump’s administration.

Matt Dolan

State Senator Matt Dolan was one of the early candidates. Strategists say that stalled when they realized he was unlikely to win Trump’s support.

Dolan, one of the most moderate Republicans in the Statehouse, serves as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. He represents Northeast Ohio.

DeWine supported Dolan in the last Republican U.S. Senate primary, but he came in second to Bernie Moreno. Politicos offered that DeWine will likely support him in another role if Dolan doesn’t get the appointment, possibly LG too if Husted gets the seat.

His team declined to comment.

Lydia Mihalik

Lydia Mihalik is director of the Ohio Department of Development and a close ally of the governor. Like Edwards, she had shown up last week.

She was previously mayor of Findlay before DeWine chose her to lead the department. Under her watch, Intel, Honda, GM and Ford decided to invest in the state.

She would be a good choice but probably wouldn’t be a “Trump suppressor,” many strategists said.

Either way, she doesn’t seem to want to.

“I’m focused on the state government and will continue to be involved there,” Mihalik told me.

Honorable Mentions

Before DeWine said he was unlikely to vote from Congress, strategists brought up U.S. Reps. Mike Carey, Warren Davidson and Dave Joyce.

DeWine’s timeline

DeWine has some time to think.

“It is my understanding that Senator Vance will not resign until after the end of the year,” the governor said. “So it’s unlikely we’ll have anything before then.”

To be clear, it is possible that all of these politicians were wrong and that DeWine will appoint a “dark horse.”

If you have been vetted by the governor, please feel free to contact me.

Follow WEWS Statehouse reporter Morgan Trau continued Twitter And Facebook.