Dem
51
GOP
49
Joe Biden's cabinet has been quite stable, certainly compared to his predecessor's. Here is a bar chart showing cabinet departures in the past 40 years.
So far, only two of Biden's cabinet choices have left. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh left to run the National Hockey League's Players Association and HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge left for her own reasons last month. In contrast, in the Trump administration, there were 14 departures in total, a huge number.
Now, another member of Biden's cabinet is considering leaving: HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. He is thinking about running for governor of California in 2026 and would need to leave soon to get ready as it is already a very crowded field. Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis (D-CA) is in, as are former state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and former state controller Betty Yee. AG Rob Bonta is about to jump in, too. Becerra would not be a shoo-in by any means. He would have a chance, but it would be a battle.
Becerra's departure might hurt Biden with Latinos, at least if Becerra left before the 2024 election. Of course, given a lemon, Biden could make lemonade by replacing Becerra with another Latino. Now the ball is in Becerra's court. (V)