President Donald Trump has nominated Chicago businessman and GOP donor Ron Gidwitz to serve as U.S. ambassador to Belgium.
Gidwitz was Trump's Illinois finance chair during the 2016 presidential campaign. The Chicago Tribune reports the businessman is a co-founder and partner at the private equity firm GCG Partners. He has no previous political experience.
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Gidwitz has been a mainstay in the Republican party both in the state and nationally. He has donated $1.3 million to state and local Republican candidates since 1994, and he also co-chaired Gov. Bruce Rauner's first run for office.
The businessman spent an additional $700,000 in 2016 to support Trump and candidates for the U.S. House and Senate.
Gidwitz now faces Senate approval for the ambassador post.
