Several media outlets are reporting that President-elect Donald Trump will select Washington State Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers to serve as Secretary of the Interior. McMorris Rodgers, from Spokane, has served in Congress since 2004 and is the current chair of the House Republican Conference. She is the fourth-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives.
This appointment would also impact the Washington State legislature; it is expected that several Republican state legislators would be interested in filling her vacant congressional seat in a special election that would take place next November.
To date, State Senator Michael Baumgartner and State Representative Matt Shea, both Republicans, have indicated their intent to run for the seat if McMorris Rodgers gets an appointment
Spokane City Council President Ben Stuckart, a Democrat, has already announced his candidacy for the seat in next November’s special election.
If the appointment is confirmed, McMorris Rodgers would be the second member of Trump’s cabinet from Eastern Washington. Gen. James Mattis, who has been appointed to serve as Defense Secretary, was born in Pullman and graduated from Richland High School and Central Washington University.
Updated at 6:00 am 12/10/16
