Gary Locke

Locke's image couldn't be more squeaky-clean. He's known as a reliable leader with scant personal baggage, who didn't take many chances while leading the state of Washington. "The former governor is such a straight arrow that 'he probably overpaid his taxes' just to avoid questions later," Paul Berendt, former chairman of the Washington State Democratic Party, told the Seattle Times.

While running Washington state, Locke presided over tough economic times, spearheading a controversial state budget that significantly cut state jobs, deferred state employee pay raises and delayed funding for class-size increases in public schools to compensate for a $3 billion deficit. As governor, Locke also worked with large Washington businesses that have national policy concerns, including Boeing, Starbucks and Microsoft. Furthermore, he nurtured relations with China, where he thrice traveled on trade missions.

In March 2011, the Obama administration announced that it would appoint Locke the next U.S. ambassador to China when Jon Huntsman, the former Utah governor who is expected to mount a 2012 presidential bid against Obama, steps down from the post, in April 2011.

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