Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) will meet with President-elect Donald Trump on Friday, sparking speculation that she could be on the shortlist for a Cabinet job, most likely as energy secretary. He would have reached across the aisle for a Democrat, and her seat would be filled by someone appointed by North Dakota’s Republican governor, Jack Dalrymple. Moreover, Heitkamp is a loyal supporter of the oil, gas and coal industries, especially including the drilling of shale formations with hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Separately Thursday, a Politico report said another Senate Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, was under consideration for energy secretary. But a Manchin aide said the senator has had no contact with the Trump transition and that no meeting is set with the president-elect.

Source: Washington Post December 01, 2016 17:45 UTC