On March 2, Governor Gina Raimondo was voted to be the next Secretary of Commerce for the Biden administration. After a long transition, Dan McKee has now taken her place to lead the ocean state. It is clear that his first priority as governor is ensuring that COVID-19 vaccinations continue and excel. McKee is fortunate that his goal is supported by the federal government’s agenda: The American Rescue Plan contains 1.1 billion dollars that will be distributed to states. 

Let’s talk about McKee’s experience in the public eye. My perception is that he is not used to being in the spotlight and needs to work on communicating effectively to the public and the media. Such efforts are far more necessary in the midst of a public health crisis. 

I’m happy that he has found a balance in public health and the economy. His slow but steady plan is to reopen businesses and increase the social gathering limit. I cannot help but wonder how his reopening strategy will differ (in the long run) from Raimondo’s. 

The reality is that the governorship is bound to receive scrutiny at some point in time. Yet it seems McKee wants to please as many people as possible. Perhaps his decisions will be more community-oriented than Raimondos. 

Overall, I look forward to following his next two years in office to see how he guides the state through this last part of the pandemic.