Sid Miller may not be known in national political circles, but he could be nominated as Donald Trump’s Secretary of Agriculture.
The sitting Texas Agriculture Commissioner, eighth generation farmer and fervent Trump supporter has an unconventional background.
Miller counts National Rife Association board member and rocker Ted Nugent as his campaign treasurer and sent a tweet last week calling Hillary Clinton the c-word. He has since blamed the tweet on staff.
He also correctly predicted for weeks that the polls were dead wrong about Trump’s chances to win the presidency and Trump mentioned him by name during a rally in Nevada.
Miller is one of several Texans under consideration for a cabinet post, along with former governor Rick Perry.
When asked what he would like to see changed if appointed to Trump’s administration, Miller pointed to reforming the North American Free Trade Agreement and opening trade with Cuba, a significant policy break from his potential boss.
“We need to open up to Cuba,” Miller said in an interview. “It’s 90 miles off our coast and they’re buying up all their commodities from Europe. I have been very aggressive on trade and he’s (Trump) known for making great deals.”
Early in the presidential campaign, Trump supported improved relations with Cuba but said he would have fought for “a better deal” with Havana than Barack Obama. Just a week before the election, he appeared to change course.
“We will cancel Obama’s one-sided Cuban deal, made by executive order, if we do not get the deal that we want and the deal that people living in Cuba and here deserve, including protecting religious and political freedom,” Trump said in Miami.
Alex Daugherty: 202-383-6049, @alextdaugherty