Biden has selected Tom Vilsack, who previously served as the secretary of agriculture under former President Barack Obama, to lead the department again. Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa, is the seventh member of Biden's Cabinet. If confirmed, Marcia Fudge would join other diverse nominees such as Lloyd Austin and Xavier Becerra in fulfilling Biden's commitment to diversity in his administration. However, Biden is facing pressure from various groups with differing opinions on how to fulfill this promise. The selection process for key positions has been a complex task for Biden and his team as they aim to find qualified candidates who also contribute to creating a diverse administration that contrasts with Trump's administration. Rep. James Clyburn and other allies of Fudge had advocated for her appointment to the Agriculture Department to address hunger issues. Biden ultimately chose Vilsack, who is white and from a significant rural farming state, instead of Fudge for HUD, which some advocacy groups see as a more traditional role for a Black secretary. This decision may disappoint those who supported Fudge, including members of the Congressional Black Caucus, of which she was a former chairwoman. Ben Carson, the current housing secretary, is also Black. Following Biden's historic selection of Austin for defense secretary, a group of Black civil rights activists called for a Black attorney general and a greater emphasis on civil rights. Biden had promised to address criminal justice, police reform, and mass incarceration if elected. In an interview before a meeting with Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, civil rights leader and talk show host Al Sharpton mentioned that Biden had flown to Houston to meet with him before he delivered the eulogy for George Floyd, making specific commitments. Sharpton emphasized the importance of keeping promises. Biden is considering several candidates for the position of leading the Justice Department, including Sen. Doug Jones, Sally Yates, and Judge Merrick Garland. Jeh Johnson, a Black individual who served as Obama's secretary of homeland security, has removed himself from consideration for the position of attorney general. During an interview with CNN, Biden acknowledged that advocacy groups are continually pushing for their demands, which he sees as part of their job. He defended his Cabinet selections as the most diverse in American history. However, advocates are not taking any chances, as seen during a meeting with civil rights leaders, including Sharpton, that lasted nearly two hours. Sharpton emphasized the importance of appointing an attorney general with a civil rights background to combat the previous administration's racism and bigotry. Johnson of the NAACP urged Biden to establish a civil rights envoy position in the West Wing, similar to the climate envoy role given to John Kerry. "We feel that there should be a national adviser on racial justice similar to what is being proposed. During the Democratic primary, Biden benefited from Sharpton's decision to remain neutral instead of endorsing Sen. Bernie Sanders. In the general election, Harris received support from Sharpton advocating for a Black woman to be on the ticket, rather than endorsing Stacey Abrams as planned. This has given Sharpton some influence with the Biden-Harris transition team as they select individuals for the administration. Additionally, a group of over 1,000 prominent Black women signed a letter to Biden expressing concern over the lack of Black women being considered for top positions in his administration and urging him to improve in this regard." The women in the letter emphasized the need to recognize and consider the accomplished leadership of Black women in significant policy areas that impact the nation for positions in the administration's Cabinet. Fudge, who had campaigned for the agriculture secretary position, expressed willingness to help the president in any way possible after being selected for HUD. She had considered challenging Speaker Pelosi in the past but ultimately endorsed her after being assured of a role in safeguarding voting rights and representation for Black women in Congress. Fudge will now leave her current position to lead the nation's housing agency. The departure of Marcia Fudge will contribute to the challenge of preserving the Democratic Party's narrow majority in the House, which has decreased significantly since the November elections. Biden's choice of Cedric Richmond as a senior adviser in the White House has already created a need for the party to defend Richmond's seat. Additionally, Biden's selection of Fudge for his Cabinet means that Democrats will now have to win another special election to fill her seat.