Should Pete Buttigieg be the Next Transportation Secretary?

U.S. Department of Transportation Building

Washington insiders are suggesting the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana could be a frontrunner for the Transportation Secretary role – but is he the best candidate? While Pete Buttigieg is reportedly in the lead for the post, others with more direct experience could also be in the mix.

For flyers, arguably one of the most important cabinet roles is the secretary of Transportation. With the new administration, current secretary Elaine Chao is expected to lose her seat – but who will replace her? The answer is former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg, who was nominated for the office by president-elect Joe Biden on the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2020.

Mayor @PeteButtigieg is a leader, patriot, and problem-solver. He speaks to the best of who we are as a nation.

I am nominating him for Secretary of Transportation because he’s equipped to take on the challenges at the intersection of jobs, infrastructure, equity, and climate.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 16, 2020

Buttigieg Beat Out Several Known Names Considered for Top Spot

According to those inside the Biden-Harris transition team, Buttigieg beat out several other well-known candidates within the party, including former Chicago mayor Rahm Emmanuel and Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti. The administration reportedly sees the seat as the best way to give Buttigieg the political experience he needs on a national level.

However, the one-time presidential candidate may not necessarily have the best experience for the role. Prior to his career in politics, the Rhodes Scholar worked for consulting firm McKinsey and Company, where he worked on corporate and non-profit accounts. As a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy, his work in intelligence focused on identifying and disrupting the financial networks of the Taliban insurgency.

As an alternative, two other names were floated as potential leaders for the department that oversees the Federal Aviation Administration, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and handles consumer complaints. The New York Daily News reports interim NYC Transit president Sarah Feinberg and former New York City transportation commissioner Polly Trottenberg were also under consideration prior to the announcement.

Prior to her role with the city, Feinberg was the head of the Federal Railway Administration, and had experience as chief of staff to former transportation secretary Anthony Foxx. Trottenberg is also a former Department of Transportation employee, serving as the undersecretary for policy before accepting the job in New York.

While Buttigieg is arguably the least experienced of the people the transition team considered, it wouldn’t be the first time a candidate has emerged from an unlikely path. In 2008, then president Barack Obama nominated Illinois congressman Ray LaHood for transportation secretary. Serving in the House of Representatives for 14 years, LaHood was a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and House Appropriations Committee before moving to the cabinet role.

Additional Transportation Related Seats Yet to be Filled

Although the Transportation secretary is arguably the most important federal role, it’s not the only one that could directly affect the flying public. The Biden administration will also be responsible for filling two other key roles: the administrators of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration.

Feature image courtesy: kmf164/flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0