Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is thought to be staying on as Secretary of Agriculture in President Obama’s second term, according to a Washington Post report. It had been reported that he might leave if his wife, Christie, lost her bid for a House seat back home in Iowa. Christie Vilsack, ran in a distinctly conservative-leaning district, did indeed lose to incumbent Rep. Steve King (R), 53 to 45. However, it is now anticipated that Vilsack, rather than heading west, might be staying on, and Christie Vilsack might instead be moving east to join him in Washington, D.C.
In addition, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said before the presidential election that he expects to leave office at the end of President Obama’s first term. “I’ve been privileged to serve, but it would be my intention to take advantage of the opporutity to go back and serve my family now,” he told Reuters. “Like most members of the cabinet I do not anticipate that I would be around,” Kirk said, but added it is ultimately “the president’s call” whether to accept his resignation or not.
