President-elect Joe Biden has selected Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo to lead the Commerce Department, according to people familiar with the matter.
Why it matters: 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.
- Nonetheless, Raimondo has also clashed with unions as she worked to reform Rhode Island’s public employee pension plans.
- She also served as a national co-chair for Mike Bloomberg’s presidential campaign, endorsing Biden only after the former New York mayor dropped out.
The big picture: Biden had been considering a prominent CEO or a Republican to lead the Commerce Department.
- In considering Raimondo, he appears to be moving to a more traditional choice.
- Raimondo, 49, and former chair of the Democratic Governor’s Association, is seen as a rising star in her party.
The intrigue: Raimondo also was under consideration to serve as secretary of health and human services, a job that eventually went to California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
- In early December, she appeared to take herself out of the running by saying during a press conference, “I am not going to be President-elect Biden’s nominee for HHS secretary.”
