Virginia Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell tapped former Prince William County Board Chairman Sean Connaughton for transportation secretary Tuesday, a critical Cabinet post in a state beset by persistent traffic woes.
The governor-elect highlighted Connaughton’s experience with transportation in Northern Virginia.
“As chairman of the board in Prince William County, Sean established a Department of Transportation which built $300 million worth of roads in the county and gained solid understanding of the transportation challenges facing our suburban and exurban localities in the faster-growing parts of our state,” McDonnell said. “He agrees with me we must be much faster and more efficient in transportation planning and decision making.”
McDonnell made transportation a central issue of his gubernatorial campaign against Democratic state Sen. Creigh Deeds. The governor-elect has pledged to raise funding for roads without raising taxes through measures like privatizing the state’s liquor stores and placing tolls on major highways at the North Carolina border.
Connaughton’s appointment to McDonnell’s Cabinet marks another chapter of a diverse career. After serving on the Prince William board, he joined the George W. Bush administration in 2006, where he served as U.S. maritime administrator. He is now corporate vice president of government affairs for the American Bureau of Shipping.
McDonnell said these positions gave Connaughton “a depth of experience and knowledge about what needs to be done at and around the Port of Virginia in the years ahead to ensure that we fully maximize the potential of this great asset.”
Connaughton will take the reins from Pierce Homer. Homer also has roots in Prince William County, having held several positions there, including deputy county executive.
Connaughton “certainly has the understanding and experience” to address the state’s transportation needs, said Corey Stewart, Prince William County’s current board chairman.
“I’m sure Sean will do a great job,” Stewart said. “I think this is a good thing for Prince William County, and I look forward to working with him.”
