The administration’s appointment has satisfied Hill allies who had pushed the administration to consider diverse candidates for the coveted spot. Some congressional Democrats had privately grumbled about about the rumored shortlist, worried the candidate list lacked diversity.

Goff is a veteran of Capitol Hill and is widely respected on both sides of the aisle — and one of the few Democratic aides to have longstanding relationships with Republicans like McCarthy. She started her Hill career in the office of Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) in 2008, eventually rising to become his floor director when he was in Democratic leadership.

She rose through the ranks in former Majority Leader Hoyer’s office but also built strong ties to progressive Democrats, who were privately cheering her return to the White House on Monday.

She previously served as the deputy director of the White House Legislative Affairs Office and its House Liaison for the first two years of the Biden administration before departing earlier this year for the private sector. Goff had been part of the White House’s legislative brawls over the infrastructure bill and the party-line social spending packages, among other issues.

Democrats immediately cheered the announcement, with Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) tweeting: “Shuwanza is the best of the best.”

The Associated Press first reported Goff’s appointment.

Sarah Ferris contributed to this report.