Democrats won control of the U.S. Senate after the Georgia runoffs on Tuesday, and that reopened the possibility that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders could be tapped as U.S. secretary of labor in President-elect Joe Biden’s administration.
But Biden passed over Sanders and picked Boston mayor and former union leader Marty Walsh for the job instead, Politico reported Thursday afternoon.
After Biden was elected in November, Sanders campaigned for the position, seeking the support of top labor leaders and telling reporters he would accept the job, if it was offered.
“If I had a portfolio that allowed me to stand up and fight for working families, would I do it? Yes, I would,” Sanders told CNN in November.
The possibility that Sanders might leave the Senate fueled speculation about who Republican Gov. Phil Scott would pick to replace him. But by late November, it looked like a place in the cabinet would be a long shot for Sanders. Biden suggested that he was leaning toward keeping Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., in the Senate.
“But one thing is really critical: taking someone out of the Senate, taking someone out of the House (of Representatives), particularly a person of consequence, is really a difficult decision that would have to be made,” Biden said.
“I have a very ambitious, very progressive agenda, and it’s going to take really strong leaders in the House and Senate to get it done.”
Although Sanders won’t serve as labor secretary, he is poised to take over another influential position now that Democrats control the Senate majority.
The Vermont senator is next in line to serve as chair of the Senate budget committee, which writes Congress’ spending priorities.
A Sanders spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Biden’s labor secretary pick.
