U.S. Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno will officially take office Jan. 3, two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump鈥檚 inauguration.
Returning from Washington fresh off freshman member orientation, Moreno said Thursday his earliest days will be busy with executive cabinet confirmation hearings. Moreno plans to push for 鈥渆very single one鈥� of Trump鈥檚 cabinet nominees, he said.
鈥淗e won the popular vote. He won all seven swing states by a decent margin. He鈥檚 got a mandate for the American public to actually serve,鈥� he said during a media availability in Columbus. 鈥淗e has the ability to choose the people that he thinks will serve him best.鈥�
Moreno said he believes he will be joined by Vice President-elect JD Vance, Ohio鈥檚 now outgoing senator, for those first days in office.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of work in the U.S. Senate between the 3rd and the 19th (of January),鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not suggesting what JD will do, and I鈥檓 never going to get ahead of what his decisions are, but my suspicion is that he鈥檒l want to be there to make certain that these cabinet positions go through committee.鈥�
When Vance officially resigns from his Senate seat could determine when Gov. Mike DeWine announces his successor. DeWine, who has said that is one of the 鈥渂iggest decisions鈥� he鈥檒l make, is getting plenty of counsel on who to elevate to Vance鈥檚 current position.
Moreno said he wants to work alongside someone ready to back Trump鈥檚 agenda, but acknowledged that person is on a different path to the Senate than his own.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one vote. It鈥檚 not 2.8 million, like me. It鈥檚 one, and it鈥檚 Gov. DeWine. It鈥檚 his decision exclusively. I鈥檓 confident that he鈥檚 going to make a good choice,鈥� Moreno said.
Inauguration Day is Jan. 20. The U.S. Senate can begin committee hearings on the cabinet nominees before then, according to , but the votes come after.
Several of Trump鈥檚 picks have faced 鈥攎ost notably, former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who has already withdrawn from consideration for U.S. Attorney General.
In a chamber that runs on seniority, Ohio鈥檚 two Senate seats are turning over in relatively short order, with longtime Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown ousted by Moreno. Moreno wants to stick to areas he knows, like the auto industry and immigration issues, he said when asked.