Former California labor chief Julie Su's bid to become President Biden's Labor secretary is languishing, showing how hard it can be for a progressive Californian to win Senate confirmation in a deeply divided Washington.
Su, who would be Biden's first Asian American Cabinet secretary, faces fierce GOP opposition and will need unanimous or near-unanimous support from the Senate Democratic caucus to win confirmation. But although Biden picked Su for the job in February, Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., and Jon Tester, D-Mont., have yet to make up their minds. Manchin, Sinema and Tester are up for reelection in 2024, raising the stakes of their decisions.
"We're not there yet," Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, a longtime champion of Su, told The Times on Monday. "We are going to push for the votes that she needs, and that's it. Whatever is the reluctance, we need to address them and get her over the hurdle."
