Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo has become the chief candidate for secretary-elect Joe Biden’s secretary of commerce, according to people familiar with the matter.
Why is it important?: Raimondo, a Rhodes scholar who co-founded a venture capital firm in Rhode Island earlier in her career, has prioritized good relationships with the business community, the target audience of commerce.
- However, Raimondo has also clashed with unions while working to reform Rhode Island public employees ’pension plans.
- She was also national co-chair for Mike Bloomberg’s presidential campaign, which supported Biden only after the former New York mayor left office.
- A Biden transition official declined to comment.
The general picture: Biden had been considering a prominent general manager or a Republican to head the commerce department.
- Considering Raimondo, it seems to move to a more traditional option.
- Raimondo, 49, a former president of the Democratic Governor’s Association, is seen as a rising star of his party.
The intrigue: Raimondo was also considered to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services, a job that eventually fell to California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
- In early December, he appeared to leave the race saying during a press conference, “I will not be President-elect Biden’s candidate for HHS secretary.”