The Wall Street Journal reports that Gary Locke, formerly governor of Washington State, is under consideration for Secretary of Commerce: Obama Likely to Tap Locke for Commerce. Foreign trade is relatively important to Washington State, and the Journal article bills Locke as a free trader:
A lawyer by training, Mr. Locke moved to an international law firm, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, focusing on Chinese trade.
Mr. Locke long has been an advocate of free trade, supporting former President Bill Clinton's effort to make China a member of the World Trade Organization, and supporting the North American Free Trade Agreement. While he was governor, Mr. Locke paid two visits to China to promote trade, once touring an ancestral village. Mr. Locke is likely to be grilled on his views on trade during his confirmation process.
A Locke nomination would follow abortive Commerce selections of fair trader Bill Richardson, and free trader Judd Gregg.
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