Midwest
Next Ohio senator, a 'fiscal conservative,' aims to 'get government out of people's lives'
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.
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.
DOGE CAUCUS PLANS FOR BIGGEST IMPACT, EYEING KEY TOOLS TO EXPEDITE CUTTING WASTE
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted was appointed to be the next Ohio senator on Friday. (Getty Images)
The lieutenant governor said he plans to run both in 2026 and again when Vance’s seat is up for re-election in 2028.
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.
“Look, I’ll get into all of those issues once I take the oath,” he said.
“In state government, we have to balance our budget,” Husted explained.
OHIO GOV DEWINE PICKS LT GOV TO FILL VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT JD VANCE’S VACANT SEAT
Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, walks into the Senate chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on April 23, 2024. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
“If you want to cut taxes, you got to cut spending. And that’s what I’m accustomed to. And that’s the attitude I’ll take into the process of being a U.S. senator.”
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.
Asked about coming in right in the middle of this process, he told Fox News Digital, “I think it’s a good list of nominees.”
DESANTIS ANNOUNCES CHOICE FOR SENATE APPOINTMENT AFTER RUBIO’S EXPECTED RESIGNATION
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tapped Husted as his pick for Senate. (Reuters)
“Remember, you know, I’m taking Vance’s seat. I’m an ally of the Trump administration, and I’m going to help support those nominees and get them confirmed as quickly as we can,” the senator-designate emphasized.
The first confirmation votes for Trump nominees are expected to take place on Monday evening following the inauguration.
It’s unclear who will run against Husted in the 2026 special election, but the seat is expected to be one of the Democrats’ top targets after losing former Sen. Sherrod Brown’s seat in November.
CONFIRMATION DELAYS STACK UP FOR TRUMP NOMINEES AS PAPERWORK LAGS IN FEDERAL OFFICES
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, walks through the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., in July. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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.
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.”
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DELAVAN, Wis. — A Delavan police officer has resigned immediately following his arrest on stalking charges in Illinois.
Joshua Bittner faces charges stemming from contacting a woman against the orders of the Winnebago County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office. The woman detailed a long pattern of harassment in court documents obtained by TMJ4.
Before being hired by the Delavan Police Department in 2023, Bittner was an officer in Beloit. He resigned from that position while the police department investigated his behavior.
Bittner’s resignation takes effect immediately.
Watch: Delavan police officer resigns after arrest on stalking charges in Illinois
Delavan police officer resigns following arrest
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These employers were recognized by the annual Top Workplaces employee survey conducted by Energage, working in partnership with IndyStar.
Top large companies
- Progressive Insurance
- Eight Eleven Family of Companies
- Shepherd Insurance
- LEL Home Services
- Merchants Bank / Merchants Capital
- Tendercare Home Health Services
- Rohrman Automotive Group
- Team Rehabilitation
- Wabash Center, Inc.
- Brighton Hospice
- Mainscape
- The Indianapolis Public Library
- Greenix
- Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers
- Indiana Members Credit Union
- Celigo
- Round Room LLC
- Freedom Mortgage
- Thompson Thrift
- Kirby Risk
- Ren
- Morgan Properties
- American Specialty Health, Incorporated
- Towne Properties
- New Palestine Community Schools
- Planes Companies
- Panda Restaurant Group
- Fifth Third Bank
- Flaherty & Collins Properties
- Indiana Department of Revenue
- Republic Airways
- RCI
- Cox Enterprises
- PERFICIENT
- Grand Appliance
- PT Solutions
- Centerstone
- Peterman Brothers
- Groundworks
- Damar Services
- Kloeckner Metals
- CBIZ
- Graybar
- Resultant
Top midsize companies
- Paradigm Health
- SEP
- New Hope of Indiana
- Scopelitis Law Firm (Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary)
- Bath Experts, LLC
- Opportunities for Positive Growth
- Hensley Legal Group, PC
- TBC Hotels
- The BAM Companies
- BSA
- Northview Church
- Northwestern Mutual
- Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine
- Dauby O’Connor & Zaleski, LLC
- Quality Plumbing & Heating
- Meyer Najem
- The Garrett Companies
- Commonwealth Engineers, Inc.
- Family Express
- GVC Mortgage
- Hays + Sons
- InPwr Inc.
- Kinetic Advantage
- Schahet Hotels, Inc.
- LER TechForce
- Envelop Group
- Unified Group Services, Inc.
- Knowledge Services
- Key Benefit Administrators
- Reynolds Farm Equipment, LLC
- ARBOR HOMES
- Total Quality Logistics – TQL
- North Mechanical Contracting & Service
- Indiana Donor Network
- Royal United Mortgage
- Perfection Group
- Eye Surgeons of Indiana
- ALOM
Top small companies
- Bailey & Wood Financial Group
- Indesign, LLC
- Children’s Therapy Connection
- Vaco Indianapolis
- The Peterson Company
- Express Employment Professionals
- ProKids
- Pension Fund of the Christian Church
- Mission Mechanical
- Robert Dietrick Co., Inc.
- Loren Wood Builders
- PulteGroup-IN
- BGBC, a Springline company
- NCW
- Visit Indy
- WorldTrips
- Aerocore Technologies LLC
- Vikan North America
- ready-2-xecute
- DirectEmployers
- USI Consultants
- SJCA, Inc.
- Indy Auto Man
- Kirkpatrick Management Company
- Indiana Biosciences Research Institute
- Engaging Solutions, LLC
- Exos
- Indiana Health Information Exchange
- Patterson-Horth
- Office360
- Netfor
- Haggard & Stocking Assoicates
- National Trade Supply
- Fairchild Communication Systems
- Adelta Logis, Inc.
- EMC Precision
Special Awards
APPRECIATION
Criteria: I feel genuinely appreciated at this company.
Winner: Scopelitis Law Firm (Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary)
BENEFITS PACKAGE
Criteria: I am very satisfied with my benefits package.
Winner: PulteGroup-IN
CLUED IN SENIOR MANAGEMENT
Criteria: Senior managers understand what is really happening at this company.
Winner: Indesign, LLC
COMMUNICATION
Criteria: I feel well-informed about important decisions at this company.
Winner: New Hope of Indiana
DIRECTION
Criteria: I believe this company is going in the right direction.
Winner: Paradigm Health
DOERS
Criteria: At this company, we do things efficiently and well.
Winner: Children’s Therapy Connection
LEADERSHIP
Criteria: I have confidence in the leadership team of this company.
Winner: Quinn Shepherd, Shepherd Insurance
LEADERSHIP
Criteria: I have confidence in the leadership team of this company.
Winner: Mike Wood, Bailey & Wood Financial Group
LEADERSHIP
Criteria: I have confidence in the leadership team of this company.
Winner: Andrea Schwartz, Opportunities for Positive Growth
MANAGERS
Criteria: My manager helps me learn and grow. My manager cares about my concerns.
Winner: REN
MEANINGFULNESS
Criteria: My job makes me feel like I am part of something meaningful.
Winner: LEL Home Services
NEW IDEAS
Criteria: New ideas are encouraged at this company.
Winner: Progressive Insurance
VALUES
Criteria: This company operates by strong values.
Winner: BSA
WELL-BEING
Criteria: This company does a great job of prioritizing employee well-being.
Winner: The Peterson Company
WORK/LIFE FLEXIBILITY
Criteria: I have the flexibility I need to balance my work and personal life.
Winner: Merchants Bank / Merchants Capital
After a spectacular senior year with Iowa basketball, point guard Bennett Stirtz won Iowa Athletics’ men’s Athlete of the Year and men’s Hawkeye of the Year awards at the athletic department’s 10th annual Golden Herky awards ceremony.
Stirtz, who made stops at Northwest Missouri State and Drake before his lone season at Iowa, finished with a career Division I average of 19.5 points, 5.0 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game on 48.7% field goal shooting, 37.2% 3-point shooting, and 82% from the free-throw line.
This past season, the 6-foot-4, 190-pounder from Liberty, Missouri, averaged 19.8 points and 4.4 assists per game on 47.7% field goal shooting and 35.8% 3-point shooting, to accompany 4.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.4 steals through approximately 37:44 of action in his 37 games played.
At the end of the season, Stirtz’s play earned him AP and USBWA honorable-mention All-America honors, first-team All-Big Ten recognition, and the winner of the prestigious Chris Street Award.
In addition to Stirtz’s men’s Athlete of the Year award, Iowa’s men’s basketball team took home four additional Golden Herkys.
Redshirt freshman Cooper Koch was named men’s Breakthrough Athlete, freshman Tate Sage was named men’s Freshman of the Year, and the team earned the awards for men’s Outstanding Team and Best Moment for defeating No. 1 seed Florida to advance to the Sweet 16 in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
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