If the state House and Senate approve 72-year-old Lieutenant Governor nominee Jim Tressel, he will not be the first person with Valley ties to serve in this position.

On Monday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine nominated former YSU President, former Ohio State and YSU football coach Tressel to fill the vacancy after Jon Husted took over J.D. Vance's US Senate seat after he was elected as vice president as Donald Trump's running mate.

The first person and only Valley person to ever hold the job of Lieutenant Governor in Ohio for two terms was Asahel W. Jones, from 1896 through 1900.

According to the 1882 book, "The History of Trumbull and Mahoning Counties, Volume 1," Jones was born in Johnstonville in Trumbull County. 

Jones studied law in Warren, was admitted to the bar in 1859, and opened a practice. By 1864, Jones moved to Youngstown and joined the law firm of Jones, Murray and Wilson. Jones's primary area of focus was for the railroads and corporations.'

Jones was appointed as Mahoning County Prosecutor in 1868 and won re-election in 1871.

Jones was Lt. Governor under Republican Governor Asa S. Bushnell and died in 1901.

While Tressel was born in Mentor, however, since 1985, Tressel has had close ties in the Valley after he was named head coach at Youngstown State University. 

DeWine said during the news conference that he and Tressel had not discussed whether or not Tressel would run for governor, as DeWine is term-limited out.

Should Tressel be appointed as Lt. Governor and then decide to run for the Governor job, there have been two Valley natives that have held the role of governor before — Samuel Huntington, a Democrat from Trumbull County from 1808 to 1810; and David Tod, a Republican from Mahoning County from 1862 through 1864.