He acknowledged that America’s debt and spending problem can’t be remedied with a “magic wand,” but added, “you’ve got to start somewhere.”
Husted’s appointment comes as the Trump transition team is currently pressing forward with key nominees for his Cabinet. Many of them have been meeting with senators for months ahead of their confirmation hearings and committee votes.
Following the news of Husted’s appointment on Friday, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) spokesman David Bergstein said in a statement, “The start of the 2026 cycle has quickly been defined by new weak spots emerging in Senate Republicans’ already challenging map. Ohio’s special election adds another seat and another controversial candidate the GOP will have to protect — and it means Senate Republicans are starting the cycle having to play even more defense.”
Husted will take over Vice President-elect JD Vance’s vacated Senate seat and run in a special election in 2026 to determine who will serve the remainder of his term.
The lieutenant governor said he plans to run both in 2026 and again when Vance’s seat is up for re-election in 2028.
FIRST ON FOX: Ohio’s new Senator-designate, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, wants to get the country “to a more fiscally responsible path” and is bringing his years of state government experience to the upper chamber.
“Look, as a fiscal conservative, I always want to move America on to a more fiscally responsible path, and I want to get government out of people’s lives,” he told Fox News Digital in an exclusive first interview after being appointed by Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to be the next senator.
“In state government, we have to balance our budget,” Husted explained.
Brown has been speculated as a candidate for Vance’s seat, and he previously dismissed questions from Fox News Digital about whether he’d launch a campaign for it.
“Look, I’ll get into all of those issues once I take the oath,” he said.
As a “fiscal conservative,” one issue sure to test Husted upon arriving at the Senate is President-elect Trump’s desire to raise the debt ceiling.