Surprise New Candidate Surging In Odds To Fill JD Vance’s Senate Seat

As President Donald Trump continues to flesh out his second-term Cabinet, Republican officials are interested in ensuring that seats in the House and Senate that are vacated by his nominees will remain under GOP control thereafter.

But the first lawmaker who required such consideration was U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), whom Trump chose to be his running mate. Now, Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is tasked with choosing an individual to fill that Senate seat until Vance’s current term ends in 2026.

A number of potential candidates have already been named in media reports, but one prospect has recently risen to the top of the heap.

According to Fox News:

Attorney Mehek Cooke, a Republican attorney who served as a political and legal surrogate for Trump in 2024, is under consideration to be chosen to fill Vance’s seat, a source familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital.

Cooke, known as a formidable fundraiser in the state of Ohio, has appeared on Fox News and was a vocal supporter of President-elect Trump during the 2024 campaign, where he won Ohio by 11 points and his endorsement in the state is viewed as carrying a significant amount of weight.

State law dictates that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will select a Republican to take Vance’s spot in the Senate until a special election is held in November 2026 to determine who will serve the rest of Vance’s term, which ends in 2028. The winner of that special election will then have to run again in 2028 in order to start a new six-year term. 

Cooke has a track record of weighing in on hot-button issues with principled opinions and policy positions:

Failed biological male athletes should not be allowed to participate in Female sports. We aren’t some second class or JV league. #LiaThomas #NCAA pic.twitter.com/uMNVIeoCYY

— Mehek Cooke🇺🇸 (@MehekCooke) March 19, 2022

Ohio stands against hate—whether it’s Nazis marching or politicians like Shannon Hardin spreading lies. Hardin blames a President who’s worked to unify us, all to stoke division for personal gain. Hypocrisy at its worst. Ohio stands with President Trump—he won’t tear us apart. https://t.co/F92naBC8AT

— Mehek Cooke🇺🇸 (@MehekCooke) November 17, 2024

Americans are more unified than ever before and we trust President Trump to carry out a peace and prosperity agenda. The noise out there are fringe groups and holdouts that will not succeed against the will of the people. Tune into my discussion on @NEWSMAX! pic.twitter.com/zQntBa0oAc

— Mehek Cooke🇺🇸 (@MehekCooke) November 11, 2024

🚨 America this fight is capitalism and the American Dream versus Socialism. We have an opportunity to join forces and embrace everyone just like President Trump did with RFK and many others. The world is watching. Tune into my discussion with @toddstarnes on @NEWSMAX! pic.twitter.com/epxDVvVnIc

— Mehek Cooke🇺🇸 (@MehekCooke) August 27, 2024

The New York Post reports, however, indicate that two other candidates are in the running to fill Vance’s seat:

The race is on to replace Vice President-elect J.D. Vance in the Senate, but top GOP strategists tell The Post only two real candidates remain: Jane Timken and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Timken, a Harvard-educated attorney and Ohio Republican Party chair, is a slight favorite in the eyes of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, say sources close to his decision.

The deciding factor will be President-elect Donald Trump. If he decides to pressure DeWine and ask him to appoint a more Make America Great Again candidate, Ramaswamy will win the seat, sources say. But if the decision remains in DeWine’s famously moderate hands, experts feel Timken has it sewn up.

Here’s a clip of Cooke’s reaction to Trump’s historic Election Day victory:

I knew President Trump would win in a landslide—his grit, perseverance, and unwavering belief in the American Dream made it inevitable. Tune in to my conversation on Election Day on @MorningsMaria as I predicted the best is yet to come! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/IUrsEZT4mr

— Mehek Cooke🇺🇸 (@MehekCooke) November 11, 2024