Hopefully Gregg won’t take the job unless the NH governor agrees to appoint a Republican. Hopefully.
*** The race to 60: The Judd-Gregg-for-Commerce-Secretary story is very real. Senate Republicans are upset that he hasn’t put the story to bed. So clearly he’s pondering. One sticking point is that New Hampshire has a Dem governor, John Lynch, and that could give Democrats 60 seats if Gregg leaves and Al Franken eventually wins. One idea floating out there is a deal between Obama/Gregg and Lynch to appoint a caretaker Republican (perhaps ex-Sen. Warren Rudman?). Even if he doesn’t take the job, Gregg is certainly sending the signal that he doesn’t want to run in 2010. That is a terrible sign for the Senate GOP. Another retirement makes the idea of netting a single seat in 2010 nearly impossible. This likely outcome in 2010 actually could mean Lynch and Obama are open to a deal that keeps a Republican in the seat until November 2010, since getting a 60th Senate seat in the coming years seems probable. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/01/30/1773623.aspx
It depends on what the state law says. I remember in Wyoming when Craig Thomas died, the WY gov was a Democrat, but had to appoint a Republican because Thomas was a Republican. The WY state GOP submitted a list of acceptable candidates and the gov picked from that list.
Even if the Gov appoints a Republican, whoever it is will be a FAR weaker candidate than Gregg in 2010. The Dems know this. Even though New Hampshire has been trending blue, Gregg is very popular and would have won re-election in 2010 barring an unforseen circumstance. Any other Republican will have a tough time.
Even if he agreed, I wouldn't trust a DemocRAT governor to follow through with it.
And hopefully the gov will not break his promise.
Sure he will.
While I think I see the sarcasm in the 'hope', it is true that Eternam Optimism will be a useful personality trait for the next 4 years.
He better get it in writing, because Dims cannot be trusted.
What kind of Republican do you think Gov. Lynch would choose? A real conservative? Even somebody as conservative as Greg? Puhleez!