Otter says he was only willing to seek Trump Admin post because state would be ‘in good hands’ with Little

Gov. Butch Otter told reporters today that he was happy to apply for a job in the Trump Administration because if he left, he’d leave “the state in pretty good hands – because Brad Little would take over.” Little is the lieutenant governor, who succeeds to the office if the governor leavefs. Otter said he wouldn’t have applied “if I had any doubt about the future leadership of the state.”

Asked if his vetting for the remaining Trump cabinet position he’s sought, agriculture secretary, is over, Otter responded, “I think it is. They haven’t asked me for my tax returns” or other documents required for ethics reviews. “Of course, they probably still have all that from when I was in Congress, and they may be embarrassed to note that I’m not as wealthy as the rest of those folks that they’re appointing,” he joked.

“Every now and then I’ll get a question from somebody on what they call the ‘agricultural landing team,’ the transition team,” he said. He said he’d heard the team had something like 68 members. “I haven’t gotten 68 questions,” he said. “Most of ‘em have come from a very narrow focus.”