Washington ? President Bush selected Rep. Rob Portman on Thursday to be his top trade negotiator, giving the Ohio Republican the challenge of convincing skeptics that Bush’s free-trade approach is the way to remedy record trade deficits and millions of lost jobs.

Bush said he was asking Portman to take on a broad trade agenda, including getting congressional approval for a free trade agreement with six Latin American countries, reviving deadlocked talks to create a hemisphere-wide free trade area and reaching a successful conclusion to global trade talks that will likely require steep reductions in subsidies paid to American farmers.

“Rob is the right man to carry out this agenda,” Bush said during a brief White House ceremony. “He understands that trade creates jobs, raises living standards and lowers prices for families here at home.”

His nomination is subject to confirmation by the Senate. Since he became one of the most well-liked members of Congress during his 12 years in the House, Portman was expected to have no trouble winning the Senate’s endorsement.

Portman would succeed Robert Zoellick, who left the trade job earlier this year to become the top deputy to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.