John James, a Republican businessman in Michigan who lost to Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, could be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, according to a report.
President Trump is considering James as a possible replacement for outgoing U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who last month announced her intention to leave her post by the end of the year, Bloomberg reported Monday.
James, 37, an executive at Detroit-based global supply chain management company James Group International and an Iraq War veteran, lost his Senate bid to Stabenow, who was seeking her fourth term, with 46 percent of the vote to her 52 percent. However, the Trump-backed candidate still earned some acclaim in political circles for the relatively close finish against a seasoned incumbent in a strong Democratic year.
In his concession speech earlier in November, James indicated he was still interested in a political career.
“This is why we’re not done, because too many families out there don’t have the ability to live the life we do,” he said, according to the Detroit News. He later added that a “passion for service doesn’t end with a poll or end with a vote.”
Another person mentioned to be in the running for the U.N. ambassador role is State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert.
