First on Fox: The new appointed senator from Ohio, Lieutenant Governor Jon Hustedwants to move the country “on a more fiscally responsible path” and brings his years of state government experience to the Senate.
“Look, as a fiscal conservative, I always want to move America to a more fiscally responsible path, and I want to take government out of people's lives,” he told Fox News Digital in his first exclusive interview after his appointment by Florida's governor. Mike DeWine, Republican of Ohio, will be the next senator.
Husted will serve as vice president-elect J.D. Vance He vacated his Senate seat and will run in a special election in 2026 to determine who will complete the remainder of his term.
Husted was set to be Ohio's next state senator on Friday. (Getty Images)
The governor said it Plan to run Both in 2026 and again when Vance's seat is up for re-election in 2028.
As a “fiscal conservative,” one of the issues Husted is sure to test upon his arrival in the Senate is President-elect Trump’s desire to raise the debt ceiling.
“Look, I'll address all these issues as soon as I'm sworn in,” he said.
“In state government, we have to balance our budget,” Husted explained.
Ohio Gov. DeWine selects Ohio Gov. DeWine to fill the vacant seat of Vice President-elect J.D. Vance
U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) enters the Senate chamber on Capitol Hill on April 23, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)
“If you want to cut taxes, you have to cut spending. That's what I'm used to. And that's the attitude I will take in my work as a U.S. senator.”
He acknowledged that America's debt and spending problem could not be fixed with a “magic bullet,” but added: “You have to start somewhere.”
Husted's appointment comes as Trump's transition team is currently lobbying with key nominees for his cabinet. Many of them have been meeting with senators for months before their confirmation hearings and committee votes.
When asked about attendance midway through the process, he told Fox News Digital: “I think it's a good list of candidates.”
DESANTIS announces his selection for Senate appointment following Rubio's expected resignation
Governor Mike DeWine announced Husted as his choice for the Senate. (Reuters)
“Remember, as you know, I will be filling Vance's seat,” the senator-designate emphasized. “I am an ally of the Trump administration, and I will help support and confirm these nominees as quickly as I can.”
The first votes for Trump's nominees are expected to take place on Monday evening after the inauguration.
It's not clear who Husted will run against in the 2026 special election, but the seat is expected to be one of Democrats' top targets after former Sen. Sherrod Brown's seat was lost in November.
Confirmation delays pile up for Trump's nominees as paperwork delays at federal offices
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, walks into the U.S. Capitol in July. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Brown has been speculated to be a candidate for Vance's seat, and he previously declined questions from Fox News Digital about whether he would launch a campaign for it.
Following news of Husted's appointment on Friday, David Bergstein, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), said in a statement: “The start of the 2026 cycle has been quickly defined by new weaknesses emerging in the already difficult Senate Republican map. Another seat and another controversial nominee for the GOP to protect — and that means Senate Republicans are starting the session and have to play more defense.
