Former Senator Tom Udall is Biden’s choice as Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa

The two-term senator did not seek a third term in the Senate in 2020. Prior to that, he served in the House for 10 years. The former senator noted that he sat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, “focusing on policies that promote democracy, international development and conservation.” He was also previously Attorney General of New Mexico and Assistant Attorney General of the United States.

Earlier this week, Biden announced Jeff Flake, a former anti-Trump Republican senator, as his candidate for ambassador to Turkey. The president began his term with a large number of ambassadors to fill across the world, and many key positions remain vacant.

Other choices announced on Friday included Caryn McClelland, the Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in London, as a candidate for Brunei. Michael Murphy, deputy deputy secretary of state in the Office for European and Eurasian Affairs, will be Biden’s candidate for the post of ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Howard Van Vranken, executive director and deputy executive secretary of the Washington State Department, is the president’s choice as ambassador to the Republic of Botswana. All of Biden’s candidates are awaiting confirmation from the Senate.

In addition to the ambassadorial choices, the White House announced Biden’s intention to appoint Laurie Locascio as Under Secretary for Standards and Technology at the Department of Commerce, and Andrew Hunter as Assistant Secretary of Air. Force, Acquisition, Technology, Logistics at the Ministry of Defense. . The president also intends to appoint James Rodriguez as deputy secretary for employment and veteran training at the Ministry of Labor.

Earlier on Friday, the Washington Post reported that Biden would choose Jane Hartley, the former US Ambassador to France, as his candidate for Ambassador to the UK, but Hartley was not on Friday’s list of candidates. and his appointment has yet to be announced by the White House.

CNN has reported that at least two people, including former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, have turned down the British post.