Trump Commerce Pick Ross Was Registered Democrat Until Mid-Nov.

Donald Trump's choice for Commerce Secretary was a registered Democrat until this month, the Palm Beach Post reported.

Wilbur Ross, a Palm Beach billionaire, and one of President-elect Trump's major fundraisers, was a registered Democrat until Nov. 17, when he switched to the Republican Party. The Post reported, in 2003, Ross registered to vote as a Democrat.

Ross, 79, donated $100,700 to the Republican National Committee and $5,400 to Trump's campaign during the 2016 election cycle according to Open Secrets, a website that tracks money in U.S. politics and its effects on elections and public policy.

He was picked by Trump for being "a champion of American manufacturing" and for knowing how to help companies succeed, the president-elect said.

"[Ross] knows that cutting taxes for working families, reducing burdensome government regulations and unleashing America's energy resources will strengthen our economy at a time when our country needs to see significant growth."

Ross has been a longtime supporter of Trump and was instrumental in reviving his casino company after it went bankrupt in the early 1990s.

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