Earlier today, President Obama named Republican Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire as his nominee for Secretary of Commerce. Gregg represents the third Republican named to Obama’s cabinet. His confirmation is all but assured.
His resignation would put the naming of his successor in Democratic Governor John Lynch. If Lynch were to name a Democrat, and Al Franken is seated in Minnesota, the Party would have 60 votes, making for a “filibuster-proof” majority.
However, Gregg made it clear that he would not resign his seat and assume the cabinet post if it would “cause a change in the makeup of the Senate”. It is widely thought that Lynch will name a caretaker Republican to the post, one who would not run for re-election in 2010. Bonnie Newman, a former Chief of Staff to Senator Gregg and veteran of the Reagan Administration, is expected to be named by Lynch.
Should this all come to pass, the Democratic Party would likely be favored to pickup the seat in 2010 in the state that has been trending strongly toward the Democratic Party over the past two election cycles.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
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