President Joe Biden will nominate Julie Su to be his next labor secretary, he announced Tuesday. She’s set to replace outgoing labor secretary Marty Walsh—if she’s able to get enough votes. Su, currently the deputy labor secretary, was confirmed in 2021 in a 50-47 vote, with no Republican support. Su will need almost complete Democratic support, given the Senate’s razor-thin partisan margins, as well as the uncertainty surrounding when Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) will return as he undergoes treatment for depression. Her battle for confirmation in 2021 came as she faced scrutiny for her tenure as California’s labor secretary, where she advocated for a polarizing law calling for gig workers to be recognized as employees. However, Su has strong labor union support and can hope to squeak by once again, given she advanced at a time where the Senate was 50-50 divided by party.
