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Jon Husted – OH

Jon Husted - OH

Summary

Jon Allen Husted (born August 25, 1967) is an American politician who has served as the 66th lieutenant governor of Ohio since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Husted was previously the 50th Ohio secretary of state from 2011 to 2019.

Husted previously represented the 6th District of the Ohio Senate (a portion of Montgomery County) from 2009 to 2011 and was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009. From 2005 to 2009, Husted served as Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives. He was elected Ohio Secretary of State in 2010 and re-elected in 2014.

Husted was a candidate in the Republican Party primary for Governor of Ohio in the 2018 election but later announced that he would instead run for lieutenant governor of Ohio as Attorney General Mike DeWine’s running mate.

On January 17, 2025, Governor Mike DeWine announced that Husted would fill the vacancy in the United States Senate created by the resignation of Vice President JD Vance.

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OnAir Post: Jon Husted – OH

About

Source: Government page

Jon Husted - OH 1Lt. Governor Jon Husted oversees the Ohio Common Sense Initiative (CSI) and serves as the Director of both the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation and InnovateOhio.

Jon Husted started his life in a foster home before being adopted by his loving parents, Jim and Judy. He is the oldest of three children and was raised in Northwest Ohio’s Williams County. The small community instilled in him the importance of faith, family, and hard work that serve as the foundation of his public service. He graduated from Montpelier High School and earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the University of Dayton (UD).

Jon was an All-American defensive back for the Dayton Flyers and a member of UD’s 1989 Division III National Championship Football Team. After receiving his Master’s Degree, Jon remained in the Miami Valley and served as the Vice-President for Economic Development at the Dayton-Area Chamber of Commerce.

Throughout his time in elected office, Jon has demonstrated repeatedly his ability to get things done that have a positive impact on Ohio and its residents.

As Secretary of State, Jon made it his mission to make Ohio the best state in the Midwest to do business by improving customer services and reducing wait times for entrepreneurs. Under his leadership, the state moved beyond week-long processing of paper forms and made it possible for businesses to interact with the state over the internet with the click of a button. He has also reduced the cost for starting a business in Ohio by 21 percent — making Ohio the least costly state in the Midwest to start and maintain a new business.

In 2017, Secretary Husted announced the efficiencies in his office had not only allowed him to cut the fees the state charged on Ohio entrepreneurs, but also eliminate the need for taxpayer funding for the government office entirely for the remainder of his term in office – a move that has saved taxpayers millions of dollars.

This record of cutting cost and saving money to Ohio’s taxpayers is nothing new. As House Speaker, Jon led the passage of the most conservative state budget in 40 years, which included at the time, the largest income tax cut in Ohio’s history.

Of all his responsibilities, Jon considers his most important role as that to be a loving husband to his wife Tina, and father to Alex, Katie and Kylie.

On November 6, 2018, Jon Husted was elected to serve as Lt. Governor of the State of Ohio. Husted also previously served as Ohio Secretary of State, Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, and a member of the Ohio Senate.

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Politics

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Finances

Source: Vote Smart

New Legislation

Issues

Ohio Initiatives & Priorities while serving as Lieutenant Governor.

More Information

Wikipedia

Not to be confused with Jon Hustad.

Jon Allen Husted (/hjuːstɛd/ HEW-sted; born August 25, 1967) is an American politician serving since 2025 as the junior United States senator from Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he served from 2019 to 2025 as the 66th lieutenant governor of Ohio and from 2011 to 2019 as the 50th Ohio secretary of state.

Husted represented the Ohio Senate‘s 6th district from 2009 to 2011 and was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009, including service as Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2005 to 2009. He was elected secretary of state in 2010 and reelected in 2014.

Husted was a candidate in the Republican primary for governor in the 2018 election before joining Attorney General Mike DeWine as his running mate for lieutenant governor. The DeWine–Husted ticket was elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022.

On January 17, 2025, Governor DeWine appointed Husted to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of JD Vance, who became vice president.[1] He was sworn in on January 21, 2025.[2] He is scheduled to serve until a special election in November 2026 to complete the remainder of Vance’s term, and is a candidate in that election.[2]

Early life and education

Husted was born in the Detroit area in 1967 and was placed for adoption shortly after birth. His biological father reportedly did not want him and his biological mother was unable to care for him.[3]

He was adopted by James and Judith Husted[4] and raised in Montpelier, Ohio, as the oldest of three children. His father worked as a machine operator.[5]

Husted graduated from Montpelier High School in 1985. He earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Dayton, where he played on the Dayton Flyers football team alongside future NFL coach Jon Gruden. In 1989, the team won the NCAA Division III national championship.[6][7]

Early career

While completing his master’s degree at the University of Dayton, Husted was offered a job on the football coaching staff at the University of Toledo, but instead chose to work on a local political campaign.[8] He stayed in the Dayton area and worked for Montgomery County Commissioner Don Lucas. He later became Vice President of Business and Economic Development at the Dayton-Area Chamber of Commerce, a position he held until running for state representative in 2000.

Husted ran for office in 2000 in a five-way race, defeating his closest opponent by more than 12% of the vote.[9] He went on to serve as speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives and a state senator.

Secretary of State of Ohio (2011–2019)

Husted was elected Ohio Secretary of State in 2010, defeating Democratic nominee Maryellen O’Shaughnessy by nearly 500,000 votes. In this role, Husted served as the state’s chief elections official. The office also serves as the filing location for new businesses in Ohio.

Husted was reelected in 2014, defeating Democratic nominee Nina Turner by over 700,000 votes.[10]

Financial management

During his tenure as Ohio Secretary of State, Husted reduced the office’s budget by $14.5 million and decreased staff size by approximately one-third.[11] The office had operated with a surplus for several years. In 2016, Husted requested that his office receive no taxpayer funding for the remainder of his term and instead use existing funds.[11][12]

Voting issues

As Ohio’s chief elections official, Husted oversaw election administration policies including early voting schedules and rules governing absentee and provisional ballots.[13] Voting rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, criticized some of these policies as restrictive and challenged them in court.[14]

Shortly after taking office, Husted set uniform days and hours for early voting across the state,[15] replacing a system that had allowed county boards of elections to set their own schedules. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Husted said the change was intended to ensure that voters were treated consistently across the state.[16] Democratic officials, including Ohio Democratic Party chairman Chris Redfern, criticized the change and said it could reduce access in some areas, while Republican officials said the directive provided adequate early voting opportunities.[17][18]

The Elections Performance Index published by the Pew Charitable Trusts shows fluctuations in Ohio’s average wait times compared to other states during Husted’s tenure. The state ranked 29th out of 50 states and Washington, D.C., in 2012, rose to 13th in 2014, fell to 21st in 2016, and rose to 17th in 2018.[19] The state’s ranking continued to fluctuate after his tenure, finishing 34th in 2020 and 24th in 2022.

In March 2016, the ACLU of Ohio sent Husted’s office a letter about whether 17-year-olds who would turn 18 by the general election could vote in the presidential primary.[20] The issue was subsequently litigated, and on March 11, an Ohio judge ruled that such voters could participate in the primary.[21]

Husted was the defendant in litigation over Ohio’s voter roll maintenance practices. In Husted v. Randolph Institute, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled 5–4 in favor of Ohio’s procedures.[22][23]

Business services

Husted reduced the fee for starting a new business in Ohio and partnered with Google’s “Get Your Business Online” initiative to provide digital resources for small businesses.[24][25]

In 2015, the secretary of state’s office closed its in-house business call center and contracted services to the Cleveland Sight Center.[26]

Opposition to pay-to-play for school extra-curricular activities

Husted expressed opposition to pay-to-participate fees for extracurricular activities in Ohio schools, including sports and band.[27][28] He supported legislative efforts by State Senator Cliff Hite to restrict school districts’ ability to charge participation fees, though the legislation did not advance.[29]

Lieutenant Governor of Ohio (2019–2025)

Husted as lieutenant governor in 2018

Husted ran in the Republican primary to succeed John Kasich as governor of Ohio. In November 2017, he ended his campaign and became Mike DeWine‘s running mate.[30] After winning, DeWine announced that Husted would lead the newly created InnovateOhio.[31]

In January 2021, Senator Rob Portman announced that he would not seek reelection, and Husted was considered a potential candidate. He later said he would not seek the seat.[32]

In July 2024, Husted nominated Senator JD Vance for vice president at the 2024 Republican National Convention.[33]

U.S. Senate (2025–present)

Appointment

On January 17, 2025, Governor DeWine announced his appointment of Husted to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by JD Vance following his resignation to serve as vice president of the United States. Husted had originally declined the potential appointment and intended to run for governor in 2026.[34]

Tenure

Husted being sworn into office by his predecessor, Vice President JD Vance.

On January 21, 2025, Husted and former Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody were sworn in by Vice President JD Vance. Husted was escorted by DeWine and fellow Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno. His appointment lasts until a special election in November 2026.[2][35]

2026 special election

Main article: 2026 United States Senate special election in Ohio

Husted is running in the November 2026 special election to serve the remainder of Vance’s U.S. Senate term.[36]

Federal appliance efficiency rule repeal

In 2025, Husted sponsored a Congressional Review Act resolution to repeal a Biden administration rule related to energy efficiency standards for household appliances. The rule, issued by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2024, established updated certification, labeling, and enforcement requirements for various appliances, including air conditioners, washing machines, and pool heaters.[37][38]

The resolution passed the U.S. House of Representatives in March 2025 and the U.S. Senate in April, and was signed into law in May. The repeal eliminated federal requirements for certification and labeling tied to the rule, as well as associated compliance and reporting obligations for manufacturers.[39]

Supporters of the repeal, including Husted, argued that the rule imposed unnecessary regulatory burdens on manufacturers and could increase costs for consumers. Opponents contended that removing the requirements could weaken federal energy efficiency standards and reduce long-term consumer savings associated with more efficient appliances.[40]

Committee assignments

Political positions

Education policy

Husted has supported school choice policies in Ohio, including charter schools and programs that expand access to private and religious education.[41]

Husted was among Ohio officials who received campaign contributions from individuals associated with the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT), a large online charter school that later closed amid findings that it had overreported student attendance.[42]

Election policy

As Ohio Secretary of State, Husted described his approach to elections as making it “easy to vote and hard to cheat”, and supported policies including standardized early voting hours and voter roll maintenance practices.[43][44]

His tenure included legal disputes over election procedures, including voter roll maintenance policies that were upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States in Husted v. Randolph Institute.[45]

Electoral history

Election results
Year Office Election Subject Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes %
2010 Ohio Secretary of State Primary Jon Husted Republican 506,253 67.26 Sandra O’Brien Republican 246,444 32.74
Election results
Year Office Election Subject Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes %
2000 Ohio House of Representatives General Jon Husted Republican 24,593 50% Dick Church, Jr. Democratic 18,698 38% *
2002 General Jon Husted Republican 22,468 64% Gabrielle Williamson Democratic 12,403 36%
2004 General Jon Husted Republican 36,490 65% John Shady Democratic 19,640 35%
2006 General Jon Husted Republican 28,339 100%
2008 Ohio Senate General Jon Husted Republican 103,975 61% John Doll Democratic 65,216 39%
2010 Ohio Secretary of State General Jon Husted Republican 1,973,422 54.04% Maryellen O’Shaughnessy Democratic 1,500,648 41.09% Charlie Earl Libertarian 179,495 4.87%
2014 General Jon Husted Republican 1,811,020 59.83% Nina Turner Democratic 1,074,475 35.50% Kevin Knedler Libertarian 141,292 4.67%

*2000 election notes: Richard Hartmann received 3,934 votes, Bryan Carey (L) received 904 votes and Charles Turner (N) received 705 votes.

Personal life

Husted family, 2025

Jon Husted married his wife, Tina, in 2005.[8] He is the father of three children.[46] The Husted family lives in the Columbus-area suburb of Upper Arlington.

References

  1. ^ Glueck, Katie; Goldmacher, Shane (January 17, 2025). “DeWine Names Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to Fill JD Vance’s Senate Seat”. The New York Times. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c Griffin, Daniel (January 21, 2025). “Husted sworn in as Ohio’s newest senator”. NBC4 WCMH-TV. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  3. ^ Richardson, Seth A. (March 4, 2017). “Ohio’s Republican candidates for governor hit the pancake breakfast circuit in suburban Cincinnati”. cleveland.com. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  4. ^ “Ohio Secretary Of State Jon Husted: A Man With Small Town Roots & Small Town Values”. The Village Reporter. January 30, 2015. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  5. ^ “Ferguson Tools Inc. is passing to next generation”. Bryan Times. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  6. ^ “1989 National Championship Football Team to Be Inducted into UD Hall of Fame”. University of Dayton. October 15, 2009. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  7. ^ “Division III Football Championship History”. NCAA.com. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  8. ^ a b “Jon Husted won’t say if he’s a secretary of state candidate”. cleveland.com. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  9. ^ “Ohio House of Representatives: November 7, 2000”. www.sos.state.oh.us. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  10. ^ “2014 Elections Results”. www.sos.state.oh.us. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  11. ^ a b Johnson, Alan (December 13, 2016). “Jon Husted asks for no tax money in new state budget”. The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  12. ^ Ingles, Jo (December 13, 2016). “Secretary of State tells legislature his office doesn’t need money in upcoming budget”. Statehouse News Bureau. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  13. ^ “Secretary of State Jon Husted has lost more big cases than he’s won”. cleveland.com. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  14. ^ “Don’t be misled by partisan actors — here’s why we’re taking Ohio’s restrictive voting law to court”. ACLU of Ohio. July 12, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  15. ^ “Overt Discrimination in Ohio”. New York Times. August 14, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  16. ^ “Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted calls for uniform early voting hours”. cleveland.com. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  17. ^ “Husted’s decree on ballot board hours is acceptable: editorial”. cleveland.com. August 18, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  18. ^ Calabresi, Massimo, “Jon Husted: The Powerful Official Behind Ohio’s Vote”, Time Swampland blog, November 06, 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
  19. ^ “Elections Performance Index”. Elections Performance Index. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  20. ^ “17 Year Old Voters Must be Allowed to Vote in Primary Election, Says ACLU” (Press release). ACLU of Ohio. March 7, 2016. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  21. ^ “Sanders wins: Ohio judge rules 17-year-olds can vote on election day”. Politico. March 11, 2016. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  22. ^ Epps, Garrett (June 12, 2018). “Politics: The Supreme Court Blesses Voter Purges”. The Atlantic. Archived from the original on May 2, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  23. ^ Hasen, Richard L. (June 11, 2018). “Jurisprudence: Sonia Sotomayor’s Dissent in the Big Voter-Purge Case Points to How the Law Might Still Be Struck Down”. Slate. Archived from the original on May 2, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  24. ^ Feran, Tim (September 24, 2015). “Registering business in Ohio now is cheaper, faster”. The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  25. ^ “Google, Ohio Partner In Small Business Program”. Ideastream. September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  26. ^ “Ohio secretary of state closes call center, sends callers to Cleveland nonprofit”. Cleveland.com. February 1, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  27. ^ “Ohio schools pressured to reduce pay-to-play fees”. Cleveland.com. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  28. ^ “Should Ohio end pay-to-play fees in schools?”. Cincinnati.com. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  29. ^ Siegel, Jim (January 21, 2016). “Legislation to ban school pay-to-play fees not happening for now”. The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  30. ^ Pelzer, Jeremy (November 30, 2017). “Jon Husted ends campaign for Ohio governor, becomes Mike DeWine’s running mate”. Cleveland.com. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  31. ^ Chow, Andy (January 8, 2019). “Jon Husted To Lead Newly-Created InnovateOhio”. Statehouse News Bureau. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  32. ^ “Jon Husted says he won’t seek U.S. Senate seat”. The Blade. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  33. ^ “Lt. Gov. Jon Husted gets national moment in nominating JD Vance at RNC”. Cleveland.com. July 16, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  34. ^ Krieg, Gregory; Strauss, Daniel; Wright, David (January 17, 2025). “DeWine expected to name state Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to fill Senate seat vacated by Vance”. CNN. Retrieved January 17, 2025. Pressed on his previous interest in being governor, and the decision to accept the appointment to the US Senate, Husted said he ‘switched my mind probably 100 times.’
  35. ^ “Senate back up to full membership after vice president swears in 2 appointed senators”. CNN. January 21, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  36. ^ Donaldson, Sarah (July 15, 2025). “Husted sits on $2.6M in still clear field to hold onto US Senate seat”. The Statehouse News Bureau. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  37. ^ “Senate passes Jon Husted’s first resolution repealing Biden-era appliance energy rules”. Cleveland.com. April 2025.
  38. ^ “Husted appliance law energy efficiency”. Spectrum News 1. May 15, 2025.
  39. ^ “Husted appliance law energy efficiency”. Spectrum News 1. May 15, 2025.
  40. ^ “Husted appliance law energy efficiency”. Spectrum News 1. May 15, 2025.
  41. ^ “How Sen. Jon Husted has backed Ohio school choice and religious education programs”. NBC4. 2026.
  42. ^ “As ECOT collapses, questions rise”. The Times Reporter. January 24, 2018.
  43. ^ “Husted: It’s easy to vote, hard to cheat”. Cincinnati.com. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  44. ^ “Ohio’s new voting rules make it easier to vote but harder to cheat: Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted”. cleveland.com. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  45. ^ Whitaker, L. Paige (July 24, 2018). Supreme Court Rules Ohio Voter Roll Law Comports with National Voter Registration Act (PDF). Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  46. ^ “Alex Husted – 2013 Football”. Retrieved April 4, 2017.


source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Husted

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