This afternoon, Patrick Gaspard was named the White House political director for President-elect Barack Obama. Gaspard served as national political director for much of Obama's general election campaign and was named associate personnel director for the transition effort.

Prior to his work with Obama, Gaspard was the executive vice president of politics and legislation for Local 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. In his role as VP, Gaspard led the union's legislative efforts in Albany, Annapolis, Boston and Washington, DC and coordinated the volunteer efforts that sent hundreds of union members to Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana and other primary election states to campaign for Obama. He also led SEIU's lobbying efforts on the federal State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in 2007. In 2006, Gaspard served as SEIU's acting political director. 

Read the Washington Post and Crain's coverage of this breaking news.