Editorial: Governor Mike DeWine’s choice
Gov. Mike DeWine will have an important pick to make if Donald Trump wins: who should succeed Sen. JD Vance? Rep. Brad Wenstrup brings a lot to the table...
If President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance (R., Ohio) are elected, then all eyes will be on the crucial choice of Gov. Mike DeWine (R., Ohio) on who will serve in the Senate until a 2026 special election to replace Sen. Vance.
This decision will be hugely consequential, and Gov. DeWine will have the opportunity to leave a lasting impact on the Senate and the country with a prudent choice for Ohio’s next Senator.
Our sources tell us that there are three likely choices, each of whom presents strengths and challenges for the governor.
First is state senator and recent Senate candidate Matt Dolan, who represents Chagrin Falls in the Ohio Senate. Dolan brings many assets. He is a wealthy businessman, he has a long record of delivering conservative wins in Ohio’s legislature, and he ran a strong campaign in 2024, overperforming expectations against fellow Republicans Bernie Moreno and Frank LaRose. Our sources also tell us that DeWine and Dolan are personally close and have a strong relationship.
However, Dolan also presents challenges for Gov. DeWine. Most notably, Trump and Vance endorsed Dolan’s opponent — Bernie Moreno — and campaigned hard against Dolan. While the pick is DeWine’s to make, he may see a downside in going against the wishes of the newly-elected president and vice president.
Second is entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, a resident of Upper Arlington, Ohio. Ramaswamy gained prominence during the presidential campaign, he is a frequent guest on Fox News, and he has a strong online following.
However, picking Ramaswamy presents risks to DeWine. Before running for president, Ramaswamy was the leader of an investment firm called Strive Capital that, according to The Lever, failed to register any of its employees as lobbyists in Texas despite extensive meetings between the firm’s CEO, Anson Frericks, and Texas state officials, as well as meetings in other states. The Lever reported that Frericks met with the Texas Comptroller and Texas’s Employees Retirement Fund to secure an investment, yet he did not register as a lobbyist. Texas invested, then dumped the fund after. A Republican operative who worked on a rival presidential campaign told us “Vivek’s ties to Frericks and Strive would have been a political liability had his campaign gained more traction.”
Finally, we have heard that retiring Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R., Ohio) from Cincinnati is in the mix. Rep. Wenstrup was a doctor, Army officer, and small business owner; he is deeply respected by Republicans for being a serious legislator who gets bills passed. He’s one of the few members of Congress who still serves in the reserves as an elected official, and even sees patients at Walter Reed Hospital. He also saved the life of Rep. Steve Scalise (R., La.) after a left-wing gunman tried to assassinate the Republicans’ team for the annual Congressional Baseball Game. Sources on the Hill tell us that Wenstrup is liked by both the conservative and moderate wings of the party.
Nothing represents the case for Wenstrup more than his time helming the bipartisan COVID Select Subcommittee this Congress, which has notched a series of both red meat wins, like the first public hearing with Anthony Fauci after the doctor left government service, and meaningful bipartisan successes, like the debarment of the controversial nonprofit, EcoHealth Alliance, which is at the center of the investigation of the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. In the coming weeks, Wenstrup will release his final report, which will keep him front and center in conservative media — and on the front burners of Republicans back in Ohio.
Rep. Wenstrup’s main challenge is that he’s retiring, so he may not want the job, even if asked. But if offered, he should strongly consider it. A Senate seat is very different than a House seat, and Wenstrup brings a lot to the table.
DeWine’s big decision is contingent on Trump and Vance winning this November; fortunately for the popular governor, he has an excellent crop of candidates to choose from, should Republicans flip the White House.
