March 19 (Bloomberg) -- Gary Locke won endorsement from a Senate panel to become President Barack Obama’s commerce secretary, sending his nomination to the full Senate.

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee voted unanimously today to recommend Locke, the former governor of Washington state.

“He understands what is happening on Main Street and he is a man with his finger on the pulse of what direction America must head toward in generations to come,” said committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat.

Locke, a Chinese-American, is Obama’s third choice to be commerce secretary after the two previous picks, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and New Hampshire Republican Senator Judd Gregg, withdrew.

He said at a confirmation hearing yesterday that he intends to work to reduce the U.S. trade deficit, open new markets and begin “positioning the United States as a world leader in exports.”

The U.S. trade deficit was $36 billion in January and exports have slumped at a 44 percent annual rate in the most recent six months of data.

“More than free trade, I believe in fair trade,” Locke said yesterday. “That means we must enforce our trade agreements and place a high value on environmental, labor and safety standards.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Drajem in Washington at mdrajem@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: March 19, 2009 15:58 EDT