Trump selects Rick Perry as energy secretary; Sen. Patty Murray indicates her opposition

WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday confirmed his selection of former campaign rival Rick Perry to be the country’s next secretary of energy.

In a statement early Wednesday on his decision, Trump said that Perry, a former governor of Texas, had led his state through “a sustained period of economic growth and prosperity” by developing its energy resources and infrastructure.

His selection was widely reported Tuesday.

Trump says in his statement that his administration “is going to make sure we take advantage of our huge natural resource deposits to make America energy independent and create vast new wealth for our nation.”

Soon after Trump’s announcement, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., tweeted that she is “very concerned” about Perry’s nomination, saying she is concerned that Perry is beholden to big business and would lead the department away from policies to combat climate change.

In an interview last month, Murray said she would pay close attention to Trump’s nomination for energy secretary because it oversees a department that greatly affects the Northwest.