Trump is encouraging Ramaswamy to take JD Vance's Senate seat

Just days away from Donald Trump and JD Vance as new president and vice president, it remains to be defined who will replace the Ohio native in the Senate. With the decision of Governor Mike DeWine closer than ever, a name that seemed to have been discarded has returned strongly to consideration. It is businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.

When a member of the Senate is elected president, vice president, cabinet member or simply resigns, it is up to the governor of the state in question to appoint a replacement to serve out the remainder of the term. Subsequently, a mid-term election is set to confirm that appointment.

In Vance's case, he was elected for his first term until January 2029. Therefore, once DeWine selects his replacement, they will complete two years of Vance's term until 2026, when a special election will be held to determine who will complete the remaining years.

While Ramaswamy initially started out as a favorite, he removed himself from consideration after being appointed by Trump to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Then the choice of lieutenant governor Jon Husted, state senator Matt Dolan, attorney Jane Timken, attorney general Dave Yost and Frank LaRose, local Secretary of State, began to emerge as strong contenders. 

However, in an unpredictable twist to this story, Ramaswamy is considering accepting the post should it be offered to him, something encouraged by Trump himself.

"While the decision rests with DeWine, Trump has personally appealed to Ramaswamy to accept the appointment if offered, the people said. That last-minute message was conveyed within the past week," they reported from the Washington Post, from where they also specified that the businessman has his eye on the governor's job.

Ramaswamy even met with DeWine at the governor's mansion to discuss the post. The meeting took place recently and would seem to indicate that the businessman re-entered the race to succeed Vance.

"You need someone who is really focused on the state of Ohio, focused on national issues, someone who really works hard, someone who wants to get things done. I think those qualifications are very important. It also has to be somebody who can win a primary. It has to be somebody who can win a general election and, two years later, do it all over again. So it's not for the faint-hearted," said DeWine, who was also a senator from 1995 to 2007.

He said he would announce his decision in the next few days, presumably after the inauguration on January 20.