Labor Secretary Marty Walsh has not confirmed reports he’s leaving the Biden administration to run the NHL Players’ Association, but Democrats are already jockeying to line up his replacement.
Walsh would be the first Cabinet secretary departure of Joe Biden’s presidency, according to reports, and news has set off a mad dash among members of Congress to influence the process.
PELOSI IS PUSHING FOR THIS PICK TO REPLACE MARTY WALSH AS LABOR SECRETARY: REPORT
Asian American lawmakers are pushing for the deputy secretary, Julie Su, to get the job. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) backs former Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), which Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) swiftly rejected as too divisive of a pick. And Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) wants a more pro-union choice, such as Sara Nelson, the head of the Association of Flight Attendants.
Couldn’t think of a more divisive candidate for the job! https://t.co/TJM51rZzWz
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 9, 2023
There are also rumblings that ex-New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is also angling for the job, according to a recent report.
The early divisions among Democrats are notable as the party will need to unite around one person to clear the Senate with its narrow majority.
There’s a growing push for Biden to promote Su was originally in the running for the labor chief role, although Walsh ultimately was appointed to the position. Su is expected to lead the department once Walsh leaves, at least temporarily, and has a familiarity with the agency and labor policy.
Before joining the Biden administration, Su served as California labor commissioner and then as secretary for the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, where she oversaw the rollout of California’s gig work law. If Su were to be nominated, it would further diversify Biden’s Cabinet, which does not include an Asian American or Pacific Islander at the secretary level. She has served key endorsements from the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus.
“I think she’s eminently qualified. I think she works really well with Secretary Welsh, and … I think that kind of background and experience, labor issues and other issues, that will really help her do a better job,” Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) said. “I am all for her.”
Almost two years ago, tensions were high after Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Hirono threatened to block Biden nominees who weren’t minorities after voicing concerns that the Cabinet lacked Asian Americans. The Biden administration agreed to add a senior Asian American and Pacific Islander liaison and pledged to elevate diverse candidates within the federal government in an effort to quell their concerns.
She was confirmed as deputy labor secretary in a 50-47 vote, with the Senate’s two independents, Sanders and Sen. Angus King (I-ME), voting with Democrats in favor of her confirmation. Centrist Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted against her nomination. During her Senate confirmation, Su faced questions from Republicans about the amount of fraudulent unemployment insurance payments issued by the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency during the pandemic under her leadership.
“She’s great — I voted for her,” said Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM). “I’m gonna speak closely to my friends at CAPAC. I know Sen. Duckworth has been very vocal, as has Mazie Hirono as well.”
Pelosi is working the phones in support for Maloney, a centrist who lost his seat in the last election while overseeing the House Democrats’ campaign arm, which lost control of the House during the midterm elections.
“Speaker Emerita Pelosi would love to see Sean Patrick Maloney continue in public service, including in the Administration,” Pelosi spokesman Aaron Bennett told NBC News in a statement.
“I think nothing of it. I know Sean. I like him. My assumption is that I’ll like whoever the administration picks,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) said.
Sanders, the chairman of the committee that oversees health and labor issues, has a couple of suggestions for Walsh’s replacement that have not been widely discussed at this point.
“Sara Nelson is now head of the flight attendants. She has been an outstanding union leader, great sense of communications. I think Sara would do a great job,” Sanders said to the Washington Examiner.
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“Robert Reich is the former secretary of labor under Bill Clinton way back when,” he added. “He was one of the outstanding secretaries of labor in American history in my view, and I think Bob would do a great job as well.”
Walsh’s expected exit will cost Biden one of his top surrogates. In 2022, Walsh traveled to 39 states to meet with workers and tout the Biden administration’s accomplishments.
