Former Buckeyes football coach Jim Tressel nominated as Ohio's lieutenant governor

FILE - Former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel watches a scoreboard tribute for the 2002 national championship team during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Ohio State, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/David Dermer, File)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) 鈥 Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Monday nominated former Ohio State Buckeyes football coach Jim Tressel to be the state's next lieutenant governor, praising him as a seasoned educator and leader with the skills to take the state's helm if need be.

Tressel, 72, retired a year and a half ago as president of Youngstown State University, a job he had held since 2014. Since then, he has been engaged in workforce and economic development activities.

鈥淛im Tressel is Ohio values. He鈥檚 a hard worker and shares that vision (I have) for the future of Ohio,鈥 the Republican governor said at a news conference. 鈥淗e has the ability to pull people together. He has the ability to lead. He will enable me to be assured that if something happens to me, he can walk in and be governor that day and that would be seamless.鈥

DeWine said Tressel can ably succeed Jon Husted, who after DeWine tapped him to fill the U.S. Senate seat by JD Vance鈥檚 election as vice president.

鈥淗e knows Ohio,鈥 DeWine said. 鈥淛im Tressel, I trust his judgment. He is a born leader.鈥

Tressel expressed admiration for DeWine's leadership while acknowledging that he would be a newcomer to the political realm.

鈥淚 want to study a little bit about what Jon Husted has going on, and so I want to learn the business, if you will,鈥 he said. 鈥淎nd then it鈥檚 up to when you sit down with the team and the staff and everyone else trying to figure out who plays what position best. And I鈥檇 be more than happy to to help wherever I can.鈥

The governor said the two men have had no discussions about whether Tressel would make a run for the governorship in 2026, when DeWine must retire due to term limits.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is on the Republican side, with former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy soon. On The Shawn Ryan Show earlier Monday, the Cincinnati-born biotech entrepreneur said his launch will come in late February.

Former Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton is .

Tressel's nomination must now be approved by the Ohio Senate and Ohio House, which are both led by Republican supermajorities.

Tressel was head coach of Ohio State University's football team from 2001 to 2010. The Buckeyes won the 2002 national championship during Tressel's tenure, as well as six Big Ten championships.

Leading Ohio business groups commended DeWine on the choice.

鈥淲ith his wealth of experience in the education field, Jim understands its importance in building Ohio鈥檚 workforce of tomorrow," Ohio Chamber President & CEO Steve Stivers said in a statement, saying Tressel would prioritize workforce development "for the benefit of the business community and all Ohioans.鈥

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