As of this coming Friday, Vice President-elect JD Vance has made the formal step of stepping down from his position in the United States Senate.

On Thursday, Vance sent a letter to Ohio Republican Governor Mike DeWine, who will be the one to select his replacement.

In the letter, Vance made his expected intentions clear, as Fox News reported.

From Vance's Letter

"I would like to express that it has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve the people of Ohio in the Senate over the past two years," Vance wrote in the letter. "As I prepare to assume my duties as Vice President of the United States, I would like to express that it has been a tremendous honor and privilege."

It was in a separate statement that Vance released that the departed senator made reference to his humble beginnings in Appalachia, where he had spent his childhood.

The statement that Vance made was as follows: “When I was elected to this office, I promised to never forget where I came from, and I’ve made sure to live by that promise every single day,” Vance said.

The Replacement

As soon as Vance steps down from his position, DeWine has stated that he will schedule the appointment. It is highly unlikely that DeWine will announce any appointment until Friday, according to a representative for DeWine, who stated that DeWine was visiting Mar-a-Lago on Thursday evening to attend an event for governors with President Trump.

The full responsibility of picking a successor to Vance, who was elected to a term that will last for six years in 2022, falls on DeWine.

There is a large list of elected Republicans in the state who have indicated interest in the position. Some of these individuals include Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Treasurer Robert Sprague, United States Representative Mike Carey, state Senator Matt Dolan, former Republican state chair Jane Timken, and Republican attorney and strategist Mehek Cooke.

On the other hand, attention has recently focused on Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted, who accompanied Governor DeWine on a recent trip to Mar-a-Lago to meet with President-elect Donald Trump.

The Gov's Comments

During a bill signing on Wednesday at the Statehouse, reporters asked DeWine about the subject of the meetings, but he completely refused to even hint at what those discussions were about.

According to what he said, “I’m not ready to make an announcement yet, but the announcement will be coming soon,” he said.

A simple statement was made by Husted, who was also there, which was as follows: "We're considering all the options, and just, that's really all I have to say."

After putting in a lot of work over the years to position himself for the role of governor in 2026, Husted is seen as a leading candidate for the position which they will hold until December of 2026. Former Ohio House Speaker, state Senator, and Secretary of State, he served in those capacities for two terms.