Posted on 12/01/2016 9:23:40 AM PST by MaxistheBest
Donald Trump will meet with Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) on Friday, his team announced before suggesting she's in the mix for a cabinet job that could cost Democrats a seat in the Senate.
"She comes very highly recommended, very highly qualified, is a proven leader and would be an asset in any role or capacity," Trump spokesman Jason Miller told reporters on a Thursday morning conference call.
A Heitkamp appointment would give Trump's cabinet the veneer of bipartisanship, and all but certainly hand Republicans control of another Senate seat, giving them a 53-47 edge in the upper chamber. The first-term senator won a hard-fought race in 2012 and is a top GOP target in the 2018 midterm elections in a state where Trump won by a 36-point margin
Heitkamp has expressed frustration with the Senate's partisanship in the past and recently toyed with a run for governor before deciding against it. She didn't do anything to tamp down speculation she might leave to join the administration in her statement on the upcoming sit-down, saying that "whatever job" she has she'll fight for North Dakota.
"I appreciate the President-elect inviting me for a meeting,” she said. “Every single day, my work is motivated first and foremost by how I can be most helpful to the people of North Dakota. They are my driving force and have been throughout my career in public service. Whatever job I do, I hope to work with the President-elect and all of my colleagues in Congress on both sides of the aisle to best support my state.”
Heitkamp has experience on environmental issues, energy production and agriculture. Her former jobs include working for the Environmental Protection Agency and a coal and synthetic fuels plant. While Trump's team declined to discuss which roles she might be a good fit for, the EPA, Interior and Agriculture would all be logical landing places.
Democrats are facing a tough 2016 election map, defending 10 seats in states Trump won, including five in heavily Republican territory and only one swing-state target. If Heitkamp leaves, that makes incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) job of holding together his caucus to fight Republicans while minimizing election losses in two years that much harder
Putting one more Republican in the Senate.
There is also a possibility Joe Manchin from WV could switch parties.
Trump crushed Hillary in WV.
OMG....ANOTHER WOMAN....WHAT WILL MY grandchildren think? (who believe Trump is an evil misogynist)
North Dakota’s gubernatorial race in 2016 went to Republican Doug Burgum, who made his fortune with Great Plains Software. He sold it to Microsoft some years back and made a bundle. he also runs Kilbourne Group, a real estate venture in Fargo.
This is the guy who will seat a Senator if Democrat Heidi Heitkamp talks a walk on the wild side.
She won against an (R) guy I knew (Rick Berg, my state senator) who was pretty weak.
I am not into politics enough to know for sure, but she looks like a pretty capable and sensible person...
maybe there is a job she can do well in our new administration?
something useful in restoring, building our energy independence???? (she has quite a bit of background for this I think) or?
Heitkamp favors the Keystone pipeline.
I think a lot of these Democrats are realizing that there is nothing more useless than being a Senator in the minority party when the House and White House are controlled by the other party. She’d probably jump at the opportunity to be a tour guide at the U.S. Capitol.
Secretary of Energy?
Just consider the nomination of Sessions...Susan Collins has already publically backed Sessions, in fact she did it 2 days after he was chosen.
Joe Manchin D. W.VA is a yes on Sessions (don’t be surprised if he switches parties in the next few years).
Hetkamp would be, in effect, a third yes.
The numbers are really bad for Schumer, and not just for Sessions.
Great idea!
I know there’s been consternation over some of his cabinet choices and even flirtations.... but he does seem to have a bigger strategy here removing potential opposition by co-opting them into his administration and open the old slots for one of someone that would be a Trump ally
there’s definitely a pattern developing think Nikki Haley even the flirtation with Romney.
Agree or disagree there does seem to be a bigger three dimensional plan
Trump is going to be intresting to watch... it like the campaign its Rope A Dope at whole nother level..hes playing the Elites for fools
It is SOP for a Dem President to have a Rep in the cabinet and vice versa. Trump would not be picking someone he did not figure he could handle
Election was 3 weeks and 2 days ago.
I think Trump is going to be like no other President in US History. For most politicans the process, not outcomes, is what matters. Trump is setting all that on its head.
3 weeks and 2 days since the election....so much winning...
Give her a low-level post, get a Senate seat in return.
LOL!
All morning on CNN it’s all Trump, all Carrier and it’s 90% good. He’s got the MSM in a box...they can’t go hard on him when 1,000 jobs have been saved.
She votes 86% with the left.
Trump needs to pick up a seat or two in the Senate. This would be one way of trying to get that done.
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