New candidate emerges in crowded field as possible replacement for Vance's Ohio Senate seat

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine is considering an Ohio lawyer and Trump surrogate to capable Vice President-elect JD Vance’s Senate spot erstwhile helium vacates the presumption and moves connected to the White House, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Attorney Mehek Cooke, a Republican lawyer who served arsenic a governmental and ineligible surrogate for Trump successful 2024, is nether information to beryllium chosen to capable Vance’s seat, a root acquainted with the concern told Fox News Digital. 

Cooke, known arsenic a formidable fundraiser successful the authorities of Ohio, has appeared connected Fox News and was a vocal protagonist of President-elect Trump during the 2024 campaign, wherever helium won Ohio by 11 points and his endorsement successful the authorities is viewed arsenic carrying a important magnitude of weight.

State instrumentality dictates that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine volition prime a Republican to instrumentality Vance’s spot successful the Senate until a peculiar predetermination is held successful November 2026 to find who volition service the remainder of Vance’s term, which ends successful 2028. The victor of that peculiar predetermination volition past person to tally again successful 2028 successful bid to commencement a caller six-year term. 

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Ohio lawyer and Trump surrogate Mehek Cooke is being considered for Sen. Vance's Senate seat (Fox News Digital)

Cooke, who ran for Ohio House of Representatives successful 2020, spent clip arsenic the adjunct main counsel successful the Ohio governor's bureau from 2012 to 2014 and successful the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio, wherever she handled transgression cases involving corruption, terrorism, cause trafficking, plus forfeiture, and wealth laundering. 

Cooke, a woman and parent of two, was calved successful India and immigrated legally to the United States with her household astatine the property of 5. Cooke is besides the laminitis and President of American Frontier Strategies and has worked arsenic a governmental advisor and commentator crossed the authorities of Ohio. 

Marty Savko, the seat of the world moving institution Savko & Sons which has been successful concern successful Columbus, Ohio for 75 years, told Fox News Digital that Cooke "is wholly 100% successful interaction with some the mean antheral and wife" successful Ohio.

"She's a arrogant American citizen, she's arrogant of this state and she precise overmuch has a benignant bosom and realizes that not everyone has the aforesaid opportunities. She is simply a steadfast believer successful what's close and what's wrong, and you cognize wherever she stands."

"She's not portion of a clique similar immoderate radical get to Washington oregon adjacent get successful the authorities location present successful Ohio, and they go portion of a clique, and they ballot with the clique. No, she's a idiosyncratic of her ain determination and what she feels is the champion for everyone involved, and she's honest, highly honest, highly forthright."

Savko, a salient Trump donor, told Fox News Digital that Cooke is simply a "fighter" successful the aforesaid mold arsenic the past 2 senators who person been elected statewide, JD Vance and Bernie Moreno.

Multiple sources adjacent to the concern told Fox News Digital that elevating women is important to DeWine and that helium would similar to name a pistillate to the seat, though sex is not the deciding factor. 

Republican Jane Timken, an Ohio lawyer who served arsenic seat of the Ohio Republican Party from 2017 to 2021, is besides wide considered to beryllium different imaginable Vance replacement. 

Other candidates reportedly successful the premix include Ohio’s Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Republican Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, Attorney General Dave Yost, Treasurer Robert Sprague and State Sen. Matt Dolan.

Yost, who has said helium wouldn't judge the position, and Husted are believed to beryllium focused connected the upcoming governor's contention to regenerate DeWine. Former statesmanlike campaigner Vivek Ramaswamy had been floated arsenic a anticipation but helium precocious accepted a presumption successful the Trump medication and withdrew his name.

Three Republicans presently serving successful Congress – Reps. Mike Carey, David Joyce and Warren Davidson – are believed to beryllium options arsenic well. 

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Republican vice statesmanlike campaigner JD Vance speaks connected signifier connected the 3rd time of the Republican National Convention astatine the Fiserv Forum successful Milwaukee, Wisconsin connected July 17, 2024.  (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Carey, who has beardown relationships with some Trump and DeWine, reached retired to DeWine soon aft Vance was selected, a root acquainted with the treatment said this summer. 

DeWine, who is viewed arsenic portion of the Republican establishment, volition look a balancing enactment of appointing idiosyncratic highly regarded by some the Trump basal of the enactment and the much mean wing. 

Sources archer Fox News Digital that the determination from DeWine is apt not imminent and volition beryllium announced successful enactment with whenever Vance officially vacates his seat. 

Cooke and a spokesperson for DeWine’s bureau declined to comment. 

DeWine property caput Dan Tierney told Fox News Digital earlier this period that the timing of the governor's announcement volition beryllium connected erstwhile Vance officially vacates his Senate spot and that the politician plans to name a "workhorse."

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Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine onstage astatine the Fiserv Forum during preparations for the Republican National Convention (RNC) connected July 14, 2024, successful Milwaukee, Wisc. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Tierney said that DeWine volition beryllium looking for a "workhorse" who is "qualified and acceptable to gain the spot of Ohio voters for different term."