According to NBC 10 in Providence, Commerce Secretary and former Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo played a critical role in last night's state of the union address. Raimondo was the "designated survivor." as she watched the speech from a secure location. The role is meant to make sure there's someone poised to take over as president in case of a catastrophic event at the capitol. Raimondo was confirmed to serve as Biden's commerce secretary in March 2021.