President-elect Joe Biden has yet to announce any Cabinet picks but plenty of names have been buzzing in policy circles. There is at least one Texan among the possible picks: Rep. Filemon Vela.
The four-term congressman currently represents Texas’ 34th congressional district, which stretches from Gonzales County to the US-Mexico border. The Biden team is considering Vela for Commerce or Transportation, according to Axios. Vela is also a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, so he’d be a logical choice for Ag Secretary.
Vela was a very early Biden endorser, declaring “I’m with Tío Joe” back in May of last year.
Vela is one of several prominent Latinos reportedly in contention for Biden’s Cabinet. Other names include California Attorney General Xavier Becerra for Homeland Security, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for Health and Human Services and former National Education Association president Lily Eskelsen-Garcia for Education. Axios reports that Democrats are urging Biden to pick Latinos for high-profile Cabinet positions after underperforming with Latino voters.
In other transition news, Barack Obama has ended any speculation that he will serve in Biden’s Cabinet, saying “Michelle would leave me.”
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
William serves as the Washington Correspondent for the Texas Signal, where he primarily writes about Congress and other federal issues that affect Texas. A graduate of Colorado College, William has worked on Democratic campaigns in Texas, Colorado, and North Carolina. He is an internet meme expert.
