JD Vance, the Vice President-elect, will be required to vacate his Ohio Senate seat, and there are already many applicants vying for his position.

The 2024 election was decisively won by Vance and President-elect Donald Trump, with Vice President Kamala Harris conceding the race on Wednesday. Vance is anticipated to resign from the Senate, where he has served as the state of Ohio's senator since January 2023, in order to succeed Harris, as The Hill reported.

In this scenario, Ohio law grants the governor the authority to designate a replacement who will hold the office until a special election in 2026, at which time the remaining portion of Vance's term will be decided.

It also means that the current governor of Ohio, Republican Mike DeWine, will shortly be required to make a challenging decision: Who will he select to succeed Vance in the Senate?

Vivek Ramaswamy

Vance's close friend from university and a prominent Trump supporter, Ramaswamy, is among the potential replacements. Ramaswamy, who was born and reared in Ohio, is 39 years old.

His popularity increased during the 2024 Republican primary; however, he later withdrew and supported Trump.

Before Vance was chosen as Trump's running companion, Ramaswamy briefly considered joining the ticket.

In the Senate, he would be a consistent pro-Trump vote and would contribute national recognition to future elections for the seats.

Matt Dolan

Another potential candidate is Ohio State Senator Matt Dolan, who has a distinguished history of public service in the Buckeye State.

He was a member of the state's House of Representatives from 2005 until his election as a state senator in 2017.

In 2022, Dolan, 59, was defeated by Vance in the Republican Senate primary, and he was defeated again in 2024 for the state's other Senate seat. Nevertheless, he remains one of the state's most experienced legislators.

A few other possible candidates to fill the position are Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Ohio GOP regular Jane Timken and Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted.

How JD Vance's position will be filled

Before becoming vice president in January 2025, JD Vance is anticipated to quit.

DeWine will likely appoint a Republican to serve in Vance's position until a special election in 2026, after the VP-elect resigns to take up his new position.

A special election will be held on November 3, 2026, during Trump's new administration's midterms.

Who serves Vance's remaining 6-year term will be decided by special election. Since Vance was elected to the Senate in the 2022 midterms, the next normal election will be in 2028, along with the presidential election.