Pete Buttigieg

President-elect Joe Biden is nominating Pete Buttigieg for Transportation Secretary. If approved by the Senate, he will become the first out LGBTQ cabinet secretary.

Buttigieg is the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., who ran as the first openly gay presidential candidate to participate in the debates and win delegates. Serving in the cabinet will give Buttigieg federal government experience should he decide to run for president again. He’s seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party.

Buttigieg will be the first LGBTQ person Biden has nominated. More are expected in a variety of sub-cabinet positions.

“Pete’s nomination is a new milestone in a decades-long effort to ensure LGBTQ people are represented throughout our government — and its impact will reverberate well-beyond the department he will lead,” said Victory fund CEO Annise Parker. “It distances our nation from a troubled legacy of barring out LGBTQ people from government positions and moves us closer to the President-elect’s vision of a government that reflects America. As an out LGBTQ person, Pete will bring a unique perspective that will inform and influence policy throughout the federal government. Most important, however, is that Pete will bring his intellect and energy to the Department of Transportation and our nation will be better off because of it.”

— David Taffet