PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) ─ It’s been a month-and-a-half since U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo resigned as the governor of Rhode Island to take up her new post in Washington, D.C.
But she had the opportunity to briefly return to her home state with Vice President Kamala Harris to promote President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan.
“He’s calling for historic investments, and this will be great for Rhode Island,” Raimondo said.
She said one of her goals for Wednesday’s visit was to show Harris what the Ocean State has to offer.
“I wanted her to see Rhode Island,” Raimondo said. “Our entrepreneurs and our small businesses and just how great Rhode Island is.”
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The pair, alongside Gov. Dan McKee, made an unexpected stop at a Providence book store soon after Harris’ arrival Wednesday morning, where they spoke with the owner and perused the aisles.
At one point, Raimondo told Harris that it was “her neighborhood book store.”
While in Rhode Island, Raimondo and Harris also took part in a women-led small business roundtable, during which they heard from business owners on their experiences over the past year.
Raimondo said the roundtable was a reminder that “we still have a lot of work to do to be there for businesses and people as they recover from COVID.”
While she remains focused on reviving the nation’s economy, Raimondo hasn’t forgotten her roots, telling reporters that it was great to be home.
“I miss Rhode Island,” she said. “I love being home and I’m so proud to be from this state.”
