How will Vice President-elect JD Vance’s Senate seat be filled?

Vice President-elect JD Vance has served in the United States Senate for less than two years, but after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in Tuesday’s election, Vance is about to get a promotion to president of the Senate — and leave his post as one of Ohio’s senators.

When Vance becomes vice president in January, he’ll leave a vacancy in the Senate that will need to be filled by a new Ohio senator. Vance was elected to the Senate in 2022, and his term in the Senate does not expire until 2028.

If Vance follows the example set by past active senators who became vice president-elects, he’ll likely retain his position as Ohio’s junior senator until January, only resigning his seat as the inauguration approaches.

Different states have different rules for how Senate vacancies are filled. In Ohio, the governor of the state has the power to appoint someone to temporarily fill the vacancy. A special election will then be held in November 2026 to fill the vacancy through the remainder of Vance’s existing term in 2028.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who won’t face reelection until 2026, will get to select who fills Vance’s seat after he resigns. DeWine is a Republican, so the seat would probably remain safely in Republican hands — at least until the next state election.

But DeWine and Vance are ideologically quite far apart, which means a Republican DeWine appoints to the Senate could bring quite a different energy to the chamber than Vance does. DeWine is a more moderate, establishment Republican while Vance often criticizes that faction of the party.

Speculation is ongoing about who DeWine could possibly select to replace Vance when the time comes. ABC News reached out to DeWine’s team for comment, but didn’t hear back by the time of publication.

DeWine issued a statement congratulating Vance when Trump selected him as his running mate over the summer.

“President Trump has made a great choice and Senator Vance will be a great partner as they campaign together this fall,” DeWine said.

Vance’s replacement won’t be the only new senator from Ohio to join the incoming Congress in the new year.

In one of the most closely watched Senate races of this election cycle, three-term incumbent Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown lost his race against Republican Bernie Moreno.

Moreno’s victory helped to deliver a Senate majority for Republicans.

Depending on the timing of Vance’s resignation, Moreno could be in the unique position of becoming Ohio’s senior senator within moments of assuming the job.

Vance, along with Trump, backed Moreno in a crowded Ohio Republican primary earlier this year.

Moreno, following the news of Vance’s selection as Trump’s running made, issued a glowing statement on X calling him a “brilliant selection” and “visionary leader.”

Though Moreno won in the primary match-up, DeWine had endorsed a different, more moderate choice: Matt Dolan.

DeWine’s primary endorsement could be a sign of the sort of person he’d be interested in selecting to fill the Vance vacancy.