Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue is in line to be Trump's secretary of agriculture

Sonny Perdue (Atlanta
Journal-Constitution photo)

"Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue is emerging as President-elect Donald Trump's selection for agriculture secretary even though the search had focused in recent weeks on a woman or Hispanic and no official announcement has yet been issued," reports Philip Brasher of Agri-Pulse. "A source close to the transition team confirmed media reports Monday that Trump had settled on Perdue, whom the president-elect had interviewed in November."

Perdue was governor in 2003-11, after 11 years in the state Senate; he became a Republican in 1998. He is a veterinarian but "spent much of his career in business in rural Georgia, running a company with agribusiness and transportation holdings," Brasher notes.

A possible key to the selection: "Perdue's former campaign manager, Nick Ayers, is now an aide to Vice President-elect Mike Pence," Brasher reports.

Many in agriculture were expecting Trump to pick a Hispanic, since he "has yet to select one for his cabinet," Brasher writes. "Last week, Trump interviewed former Texas Gov. Henry Bonilla and former Texas A&M University President Elsa Murano in Florida and later was photographed with them. Trump also interviewed former California Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado and met briefly with Susan Combs, a former Texas agriculture commissioner and state comptroller."