Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) was tapped by the Trump administration Monday to be the next ambassador to Saudi Arabia, a post that has been open for the entirety of President Donald Trump’s second term.

The Texas Republican previously served as a diplomatic liaison officer in Saudi Arabia and has been a close Trump ally in Congress. Hunt’s nomination comes after he lost the GOP primary for Senate in Texas earlier this year. Hunt ran behind both Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Texas state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who won the nomination after a runoff.