President-elect Joe Biden has selected former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg as his transportation secretary, sources tell CNN.
If confirmed, Buttigieg will become the country’s first LGBTQ cabinet secretary.
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Buttigieg, a rising star in the Democratic Party rolled out a $1 trillion infrastructure plan that prioritized upgrading the country’s crumbling infrastructure and expanding broadband internet access through payment to state and local governments, while he was competing against Biden for the Democratic Party nomination, CNN reports. He often spoke about infrastructure on the campaign trail from the perspective of a small mayor, arguing that local governments like the one he once ran needed people in Washington who understood their needs and issues.
This is the first time that Biden has chosen one of his former Democratic rivals to serve in his cabinet.
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Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, were also in contention for the post as well, according to CNN.
