FILE - Lt. Governor Jon Husted gives a thumbs up in the Ohio House chambers at the Ohio Statehouse, April 10, 2024 in Columbus. (Barbara J. Perenic /The Columbus Dispatch via AP, File)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted is Republican Gov. Mike DeWine’s pick to succeed Vice President-elect JD Vance in the U.S. Senate.

The 57-year-old Husted is a former Ohio House speaker and secretary of state and will serve in the Senate until Dec. 15, 2026. A special election for the last two years of Vance’s six-year term will happen in November 2026. Husted had been positioning to run for governor in 2026. DeWine’s pick of Husted on Friday potentially opens the door for others to run for governor. DeWine calls Husted a trusted partner on key decisions.