Today, Governor-elect Tim Kaine announced three more picks for his cabinet, and they appear to be good ones. 1) Former Delegate Viola Baskerville, who sought the Democratic nomination for Lt. Governor, was named Secretary of Administration. According to Michael Shear, "Baskerville is a close friend of the new governor's, and was an obvious pick for something early onthis job." As Secretary of Administration, Baskerville will "[oversee] general government operations to ensure efficient and effective management of the people's resources."
Baskerville's political career is impressive. In 1994, she ran for City Council of Richmond and won. She was then elected Vice Mayor. In 1997, she ran for State Delegate, and won again. Since then, Baskerville has served admirably in the House of Delegates. In 1998, the Richmond YWCA awarded her their ?Outstanding Woman Award in Government and Politics.? She was also inducted into the National Honor Society of Omicron Delta Kappa. She should do great in her new job, if her past record of accomplishment is any indication.
2) Dan LeBlanc was named the new Secretary of the Commonwealth, which has numerous duties, including helping the Governor with "his appointments of over 4,000 individuals to serve on Virginia's boards and commissions." Currently, LeBlanc is President of the 200,000-member Virginia AFL-CIO. LeBlanc is journeyman tool and die maker and a U.S. Army veteran. He has been active in community affairs and political campaigns for more than three decades. Sounds like a top-notch choice to me.
3) Bob Bloxom, a Republican and former Delegate, was asked to stay on as Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry. In announcing his decision, Tim Kaine said:
We were proud to have the opportunity to create this new Secretariat during the Warner-Kaine administration, and proud to make Bob Bloxom the first Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry. Bob earned the respect of legislators from both parties during his service in the House and as Secretary. I?m glad he is willing to stay and be a part of this team.
According to Bay Journal, Bloxom "has a long background in [Chesapeake] Bay issues, including serving on the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a multistate panel representing state legislatures." Bloxom also believes in "efforts to revitalize Virginia's rural economy" through "strengthening and promoting the forestry and agriculture industries." If he can do that in a way that is environmentally friendly, Bloxom will make an excellent Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry.
All in all, three promising picks by Governor-elect Kaine. So far, this is shaping up to be a highly professional, top-notch Administration, as we Kaine supporters always expected it to be.