Gina Raimondo, governor of Rhode Island, has shown as a leading candidate as elected secretary of state Joe Biden’s trade secretary, according to people familiar with the matter.
Why it matters: Raimondo, a Rhodes scholar who earlier in her career was co-founder of a venture capital firm in Rhode Island, put forward good relations with the business community, the target audience of trade.
- Nevertheless, Raimondo also clashed with unions as she worked to reform Rhode Island’s retirement plans for public employees.
- She also serves as national co-chair for Mike Bloomberg’s presidential campaign, endorsing Biden only after the former mayor of New York resigned.
- A Biden transition official declined to comment.
The whole picture: Biden considered a prominent CEO or a Republican to lead the Department of Commerce.
- When considering Raimondo, it appears that he is going for a more traditional choice.
- Raimondo, 49, and former chairman of the Democratic Governors’ Association is seen as a rising star in her party.
The plot: Raimondo was also considered to serve as secretary of health and human services, a job that eventually went to California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
- At the beginning of December, it seemed as if she had taken herself off the track by saying during a press conference: ‘I’m not going to be the elected president of Biden for the HHS secretary.’