Rauner’s Friday at the White House: Here are the details

WASHINGTON — Gov. elect Bruce Rauner hits the White House on Friday with six other newly elected governors for a very high level crash course on how the executive branch of Washington works as the Obama administraton seeks to forge relationships with a fresh crop of chief state executives.

On Thursday, Rauner spent time in the Capitol, meeting with the Illinois congressional delegation. My column on Rauner’s Capitol visit is HERE.

Six of the seven, including Rauner, have not been sworn-in yet. The group lunches with Vice President Joe Biden and meets with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office at 5:55 p.m. Chicago time. In between, there are meetings with In between the White House has scheduled meetings with: Secretaries Arne Duncan (Education); Anthony Foxx (Transportation); Sylvia Burwell (HHS); EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy; Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett; Director of the Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Munoz; Director of the National Economic Council Jeff Zients and Director of the Office of Management and Budget Shaun Donovan.

A White House official told the Chicago Sun-Times, when Obama meets with the newly elected governors, they will “discuss the ways in which the administration can partner with states to build on our growing economy by creating more jobs and ensuring that every American who works hard has an opportunity to succeed. The President will discuss how his administration and states can work together on issues like expanding access to pre-K education, getting more Americans covered with health insurance, investing in the nation’s infrastructure and creating jobs.”

At the Biden lunch, the conversation will likely be on “a wide-range of issues, including the importance of investing in our nation’s infrastructure and training America’s workers with skills for in-demand jobs.”

The newly-elected governors expected to attend:

Governor-elect Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island

Governor Bill Walker of Alaska

Governor-elect Bruce Rauner of Illinois

Governor-elect Larry Hogan of Maryland

Governor-elect Charlie Baker of Massachusetts

Governor-elect Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania

Governor-elect Greg Abbot of Texas