Official: Gregg leading candidate for Commerce
By PHILIP ELLIOTT – 48 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire is the leading candidate to become commerce secretary and a decision could come as soon as Monday, an Obama administration official said Saturday.
Gregg’s appointment to the post could give Obama and his Democratic Party a victory in the Senate, clearing the way for them to pass legislation without fear of a Republican filibuster. It also would provide the administration a strong ambassador to the business community in Gregg, who devised the $700 billion banking bailout package last year.
No firm decision had been made, said the administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official wasn’t authorized to discuss administration deliberations. The official also said there was no word on who New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat, would appoint to replace Gregg.
Lynch, a political moderate, could easily appoint a Republican, senior Democrats have told supporters in private conversation. They fret that Lynch is likely to appoint a “placeholder” senator who would not run for re-election in 2010.
Gregg faces a tough re-election in 2010. His state has shifted toward Democrats in recent years and his role in the banking rescue plan would complicate his bid in a state that proudly rebukes government spending and has no state income taxes.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hN8HWJQGPQTNdsctBh54R9bYBujwD96285481
If his state rebukes big gov. spending their going to vote him out and give the biggest spending congress and their president another vote? I think the crappy state of NH has just been infested by too many rats from MA
...a state that proudly rebukes government spending
Someone might want to explain the definition of "mutually exclusive" to the voters of New Hampshire.
After two years of Obama, NH will reverse itself and trend Republican. This is a surety. Gregg needs to stay put to see this happen. He will be in a great position to be re-elected when Obama’s policies take hold and the country sees the Real Obama.