Republican Gov. Mike DeWine is considering Ohio attorney and Trump surrogate Mehek Cooke to fill Vice President-elect JD Vance’s Senate seat once he vacates it to join the White House, Fox News Digital has learned. Cooke, a Republican attorney who served as a political and legal surrogate for Trump during the 2024 campaign, is reportedly under consideration for the role, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Known for her fundraising prowess in Ohio, Cooke has appeared on Fox News and was a strong supporter of President-elect Trump throughout the 2024 campaign. Trump’s endorsement played a crucial role in his 11-point victory in Ohio, and his backing in the state is viewed as highly influential. State law dictates that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will appoint a Republican to fill Vance’s Senate seat until a special election is held in November 2026 to determine who will serve the remainder of Vance’s term, which runs until 2028. The winner of that special election will then be required to run again in 2028 for a new six-year term.
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Cooke, who ran for the Ohio House of Representatives in 2020, has an extensive legal background. She served as the assistant chief counsel in the Ohio governor’s office from 2012 to 2014 and worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, handling criminal cases related to corruption, terrorism, drug trafficking, asset forfeiture, and money laundering.
A wife and mother of two, Cooke was born in India and immigrated legally to the United States with her family at the age of 5. She is also the founder and president of American Frontier Strategies and has worked as a political consultant and commentator throughout Ohio.
Marty Savko, chair of Savko & Sons, an earth-moving company in Columbus, Ohio, which has been in business for 75 years, told Fox News Digital that Cooke “is totally 100% in touch with both the average man and wife” in Ohio. “She’s a proud American citizen, she’s proud of this country and she very much has a kind heart and realizes that not everyone has the same opportunities. She is a firm believer in what’s right and what’s wrong, and you know where she stands,” Savko told the outlet.
“She’s not part of a clique like some people get to Washington or even get in the state house here in Ohio, and they become part of a clique, and they vote with the clique. No, she’s a person of her own determination and what she feels is the best for everyone involved, and she’s honest, extremely honest, extremely forthright,” Savko noted further.
Savko, a prominent Trump donor, told Fox News Digital that Cooke is a “fighter” in the same vein as the last two senators elected statewide, Republicans JD Vance and Bernie Moreno. Sources close to the situation have indicated that elevating women is important to Governor Mike DeWine, and he is interested in appointing a woman to the seat, though gender will not be the sole deciding factor.
Another potential candidate to replace Vance is Republican Jane Timken, an Ohio attorney who served as chair of the Ohio Republican Party from 2017 to 2021. Other candidates reportedly under consideration include Ohio’s Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Republican Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, Attorney General Dave Yost, Treasurer Robert Sprague, and State Sen. Matt Dolan.
While Yost has expressed that he wouldn’t accept the position, he and Husted are believed to be focusing on the upcoming race for governor to replace DeWine. Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy was also mentioned as a possibility but has since withdrawn after accepting a position in the Trump administration. Three Republicans currently serving in Congress—Reps. Mike Carey, David Joyce, and Warren Davidson—are also being considered as options, Fox noted.
Carey, who has strong relationships with both Trump and DeWine, reportedly reached out to DeWine shortly after Vance was selected, according to a source familiar with the discussion this summer. DeWine, seen as part of the Republican establishment, will need to navigate a delicate balancing act in choosing someone who is respected by both the Trump-supporting base of the party and its more moderate wing. Sources tell Fox News Digital that DeWine’s decision is unlikely to be made imminently and will be announced when Vance officially vacates his seat.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.