JD Vance Underwent Surgery After Attending Senate Swearing-in Ceremony on Capitol Hill
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance underwent a medical procedure on Friday.
Vance, who continues to serve as a U.S. senator, underwent surgery at George Washington Hospital that afternoon.
“The Vice President-elect is having long-planned, minor sinus surgery and will be back at work tomorrow,” Vance’s spokesperson, William Martin, stated Friday, as reported by Fox News.
There was no prior announcement of the surgery.
Earlier that day, Vance participated in the swearing-in ceremony for newly elected senators and welcomed two new Republican members to the Senate: Bernie Moreno of Ohio and Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania.
I was proud to stand with @berniemoreno and @DaveMcCormickPA as they were sworn in to the US Senate. Congrats to them and to all of our new senators! pic.twitter.com/nnQFFsbNiA
— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 3, 2025
“Congrats to them and to all of our new senators!” Vance posted on X.
Moreno secured his seat by defeating outgoing Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in November.
As Vice President-elect, Vance is anticipated to play a pivotal role in the incoming administration, according to Semafor.
“He’s going to be involved in a lot of decisions that the president makes,” noted Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia. “It won’t be just ones that are interacting in between the Hill and the White House.”
A source also indicated that Vance’s Senate background will shape his approach.
“You can’t have the president call for everything,” said a source “close to Vance,” as reported by Semafor. “J.D. is a former colleague calling them. It’s a little bit of a softer touch … [Trump] is the hammer. J.D. is more like a diplomat.”
When Vance officially resigns his Senate seat, a state-level process will determine his replacement, according to NBC News.
Republican Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio will appoint someone to hold the seat until 2026, at which point an election will decide who will serve the remainder of Vance’s term, which ends in 2028.
Lieutenant Governor John Husted is reportedly the leading candidate for the appointment, NBC News reported.
“If Husted wants to serve this way, it’s there,” NBC quoted a “person familiar with the discussions.”
Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted has emerged as a late and leading contender to succeed Vice President-elect JD Vance in the Senate, three Republicans familiar with the process say. https://t.co/ETTkaodvTR
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 3, 2025
Husted and Governor DeWine met with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago last month, according to sources cited by NBC.