Gov. DeWine picks former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel as lieutenant governor
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel has been picked to replace Sen. Jon Husted as the state's lieutenant governor.
Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tressel's appointment during a Monday news conference, nearly three weeks after Husted was sworn into the Senate vacancy on Jan. 21 left by newly inaugurated Vice President JD Vance. Tressel will now need to be confirmed by the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate before he assumes the role, which could come as soon as this week. Both chambers are in session on Wednesday.
'Jim Tressel, I trust his judgement. He is a born leader,' said DeWine during Monday's announcement. 'He shares that vision for the future of the state of Ohio, he has the ability to pull people together.'
Born in Mentor, Tressel most recently served as president of Youngstown State University from 2014 to 2023. Before becoming an administrator, he was the head football coach of the Youngstown State Penguins and the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2001 to 2010.
Tressel led the Buckeyes to 94 wins in 128 games and took Ohio State to three national championships, winning one in 2002 against Miami in the Fiesta Bowl. He won AFCA Coach of the Year, Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, the Paul 'Bear' Bryant Award and the Woody Hayes Trophy in 2002.
The 72-year-old resigned as Ohio State's head coach in 2011 after several of his players allegedly traded memorabilia, like jerseys and championships rings, in exchange for services such as tattoos and car rentals.
'I appreciate the governor's nomination of President Tressel who has dedicated his career to guiding our youth on both the gridiron as a coach and in the classroom as a college president,' said Ohio Senate President Rob McColley in a statement. 'I look forward to hearing more from Jim Tressel as the Senate carries out its confirmation duties as directed by the Ohio Constitution.'
If confirmed, Tressel will serve as lieutenant governor through the rest of Husted's term, which will end in January 2027 after the 2026 gubernatorial election, which is likely to feature billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy and Attorney General Dave Yost competing for the Republican nomination. Former Ohio Health Director Amy Acton is the sole Democrat to have entered the race.
During Monday's press conference, Tressel did not rule out jumping into the 2026 race for the governor's mansion.
'This probably is not a greater moment in our state than we've had in hundreds of years with opportunities,' said Tressel on Monday. 'We really need to do a good job of getting that workforce to execute those opportunities, to find out what it is we need to do to take advantage of them.'
DeWine announced Husted's Senate appointment on Jan. 17, in the wake of Vance's 2024 White House victory alongside President Donald Trump. Husted is serving in the Senate until a November 2026 special election, where Ohioans will then get to decide who will complete Vance's term, which runs through 2028.
Lydia Mihalik, the director of the state department of development, was heavily favored to be chosen for the lieutenant governor role. Republican strategist Mike Gonidakis and Columbus Chamber of Commerce CEO Derrick Clay both previously told NBC4 Mihalik was the frontrunner given her past collaborations with DeWine and record supporting Ohio's businesses.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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