Rumors continue to swirl over Jay Inslee being asked to join Biden administration
Nov 12, 2020, 11:38 AM
Gov. Jay Inslee. (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
Speculation has continued to mount over whether newly-reelected Washington Governor Jay Inslee might be offered a job in the Biden administration.
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That discussion first started gaining momentum in July, when a memo from Data for Progress — a progressive think tank — posited that Inslee “makes perfect sense” to head the U.S. Department of the Interior.
In the wake of the presidential election, those rumors have heated up. The New York Times said on Wednesday that “environmentalists are promoting his name” in hopes of encouraging Inslee to head up the U.S. Department of Energy or the Environmental Protection Agency.
Also on Wednesday, Justice Democrats and the Sunrise Movement, a pair of prominent youth climate change activist groups, called on the Washington governor to serve as an assistant to Biden on climate mobilization.
Meanwhile, both CNN and Politico have floated Inslee for a potential White House posting, with the latter reporting that “Inslee’s name has been rumored for several climate-related posts in a Biden administration, including EPA and ‘climate czar.'”
That said, Inslee has been vocal in the past about his hesitance to leave for the other Washington.
In September, he told Axios that “there is more work to do in my state, and I’m intent on getting that done.” When pressed on whether he would accept a post to head up the Environmental Protection Agency — especially given his record on conservation and climate change — he rebuffed the idea.
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“No, I’m running for governor,” he answered. “I love the state of Washington.”
After Joe Biden was declared the presumptive winner of the 2020 election last Saturday, Inslee didn’t entirely dismiss the idea of considering a role, saying that he’d “certainly take the call” if the president-elect reached out.
“But right now, I’m making sure I’ll be governor — I’m committed to this job,” he added.
In a more recent statement issued to The Seattle Times, the Governor’s Office noted that Inslee “has not been contacted by the Biden transition team,” while emphasizing that his feelings on the matter remain unchanged from his stated position prior to the election.
