Gary Locke potential Secretary of Commerce

The Washington Post speculates that with candidates Bill Richardson and Judd Gregg dropping out of the running for the position, Gary Locke, Governor of Washington, will be up next.

When he was elected in 1995 Locke became the first — and to date the only — Chinese American to serve as the governor of a state.

Locke’s appeal to the White House was threefold, according to those briefed on the decision. First, he built a solid record as governor — including overseeing the rapid growth of the Washington economy. Second, he is well known as a strait-laced politician who has never been weighed down with ethical baggage. Third, he furthers Obama’s commitment to diversity as the third Asian American in the Cabinet.

Also, if he becomes the Secretary of Commerce, he will also become the third Asian-American to serve in Obama’s cabinet, which would set a record.