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SALT LAKE CITY — The Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s nomination as U.S. ambassador to Russia on Tuesday.
Before the vote that advances the nomination to the full Senate for confirmation, Huntsman was praised by both the committee's Republican chairman, Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker, and Democratic ranking member, Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin.
Huntsman will be placed on the Senate's executive calendar Wednesday, which means he could come up for a vote anytime after that, according to Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office. Some senators have said they want to get him to Russia as soon as possible.
Huntsman's testimony before the committee earlier this month was "outstanding," Corker said, adding that he's looking forward to Huntsman being in Moscow on behalf of the United States.
Cardin said the committee hears from a lot of qualified nominees, "and certainly Gov. Huntsman is one of those individuals that is very well-qualified. But few have answered the questions with the clarity that he did."
The senator also noted Huntsman's commitment to the "strength of our values in our relationship with Russia" and said he was "enthusiastically supporting his nomination," adding that he hopes "we can get him to Moscow as soon as possible.”
There were few tough questions when Huntsman appeared before the committee after he started his testimony by stating there was "no question — underline no question — that the Russian government interfered in the U.S. election last year."
Huntsman also said "Moscow continues to meddle in the Democratic processes of our friends and allies," and that there is a low level of trust between the United States and Russia.
The former Utah governor, who stepped down in 2009 to serve as then-President Barack Obama's U.S. ambassador to China, said he was "under no illusion" that holding the same post in Russia "will be easy or simple."
The relationship between President Donald Trump and his campaign with Russia is the subject of multiple investigations, including by a special counsel appointed by the U.S. Justice Department, former FBI Director Robert Mueller.
Huntsman has also served as U.S. ambassador to Singapore under then-President George H.W. Bush.
Contributing: Dennis Romboy
