Thomas E. Perez's political career seemed on the rocks when he was tossed off the ballot for Maryland attorney general days before the 2006 primary and shortly after took a job running a low-profile agency that licenses plumbers and monitors elevator safety.
But two years later, his political star is rising. The former civil rights lawyer is playing a key role on Barack Obama's transition team, and some Annapolis insiders are speculating that his connections - including a friendship with Eric H. Holder Jr., the president-elect's pick for U.S. attorney general - will land Perez a spot in the new administration.
Even if he does not make the move to Washington, some say Perez could capitalize on his growing profile to advance his career, perhaps including a run for governor. Perez says only that he would not challenge Gov. Martin O'Malley in a 2010 Democratic primary and that he wants to continue to effect reforms and "help people who can't help themselves."
"My own self-actualization is not dependent on being an elected official," Perez said.
Perez, 47, the Harvard-educated son of Dominican immigrants, has built his resume as labor secretary by taking an aggressive stance on regulations and legal actions to help stem the foreclosure crisis. He also has stepped into political quagmires by coming out strongly in favor of legalizing slot machines and by advocating for a change in adult education oversight that evolved into a turf war with state education officials.
While Perez is clearly ambitious, those close to him say that he is driven by what he believes is good policy and not by raw politics.
"There were a few critics who said, 'Well, you know, Tom is political,' " said Michael Enright, O'Malley's chief of staff, who vetted Perez before he was tapped for a Cabinet position. "And I found it to be completely to the contrary. What really gets him fired up is government operations and getting policies in place that he believes to be the right policies."
Colleagues say that Perez, who is helping the incoming Obama administration by reviewing personnel and policies at the Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services and Housing and Urban Development, can rapidly digest information and often views issues through the lens of civil rights. He usually does not rely on written notes or speeches when appearing in public and frequently sends e-mail after midnight.
