Replacing JD Vance in the U.S. Senate sets off scramble in Ohio

Sen. JD Vance's election as vice president has opened up one of Ohio's U.S. Senate seats for the third time in as many years, setting off a scramble for the appointment among the state's ruling Republicans.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine is tasked with filling the vacancy, giving the pragmatic center-right politician a hand in setting his party's course in the state potentially for years to come. His decision will be made in the afterglow of sweeping wins by Republicans in November under the leadership of President-elect Donald Trump, but a poor choice could also help Democrats reclaim a place in Ohio's Senate delegation when the seat comes up for reelection in less than two years.

"Look, being a United States senator is a big deal," DeWine told reporters in the days after the election. "It's a big deal for the state, and we need to get it right."