Lack of Latinos in Trump Cabinet draws ire for 'setback'
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump's decision not to appoint any Latinos to his Cabinet is drawing fierce criticism from Hispanics, who call it a major setback for the nation's largest minority group.
Trump announced former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue on Thursday as his choice to lead the Agriculture Department, ending hopes that the last open spot would go to a Latino nominee.
The nonpartisan National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials had started a public campaign to convince Trump to nominate former California Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado, a Republican, to the Agriculture post.
"Trump has broken with the bipartisan precedent of past presidential administrations and has missed a major opportunity to shed the racial and ethnic divisiveness that were hallmarks of his presidential campaign," LULAC National Executive Director Brent Wilkes said.
Newly elected Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., the nation's first Latina senator, called Trump's lack of Latino appointments, "beyond disappointing," especially after he ran "a divisive campaign that often demonized the Latino community."
Lauro Cavazos, a Democrat, was confirmed as Education secretary and continued to serve for part of President George H.W. Bush's term.
[...] Latinos have had a presence in Democratic and Republican administrations from Surgeon General Antonia Novello, under Bush, to Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, under Obama.