President-elect Joe Biden nominates former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg to head the Department of Transportation.
What We Know:
- On Tuesday, Joe Biden announced his nomination of Pete Buttigieg for transportation secretary. If confirmed, he will be the first openly gay cabinet member. Buttigieg, 38, is the youngest person nominated for Biden’s Cabinet. He would be the average age of Cabinet members, down from 61 to 59.
- Buttigieg is the first former rival of Biden to join Biden’s administration since Kamala Harris, says ABC News. After ending his presidential campaign in March, he quickly endorsed Biden and campaigned with his husband Chasten on behalf of the then-presidential candidate.
- President-elect Joe Biden has spoken highly of Buttigieg. In March, Biden said he reminded him of his son. “I don’t think I’ve ever done this before, but he reminds me of my son Beau. And I know to — that may not mean much to most people, but to me, it’s the highest compliment I can give any man or woman.”
- A New York Times article describes some of the reasons Biden selected his former rival. “We selected Pete for transportation because the department is at the intersection of some of our most ambitious plans to build back better.” During his time as mayor of South Bend, Buttigieg focused on reviving the town’s infrastructure and transportation.
Buttigieg’s nomination comes as part of Biden’s promise to have a diverse administration. Kamala Harris is the first female vice president, and now Pete Buttigieg as the first openly gay cabinet member.
