The buzz is that President-elect Barack Obama is close to announcing Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) as the next secretary of interior. The pick is a bit of a surprise for us — we were guessing it would be Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) — but if it's true, it will be the fourth Democratic Senate seat to open up in the wake of the Nov. 4 results: Obama's in Illinois (say, what's going on with that one?), Joe Biden's in Delaware, Hillary Clinton's in New York, and now the Salazar seat.

Colorado has been, to say the least, trending Democratic of late. In 2004, Salazar won a GOP Senate seat and his brother John did likewise with a GOP House seat. Democrat Bill Ritter won the governorship in 2006 after eight years of GOP rule as Ed Perlmutter (D) picked up a Republican House seat. This year, Rep. Mark Udall (D) won the Senate seat vacated by Republican Wayne Allard, and Betsy Markey unseated GOP Rep. Marilyn Musgrave.

And did we mention that Obama carried the state? He's the first Democratic presidential candidate to do so since Bill Clinton in '92 and only the second Dem since LBJ in '64.

If Salazar is indeed chosen to lead Interior, Brother John is perhaps the most widely mentioned name to succeed him. Other Dems thought to be in the mix include the current Denver mayor (John Hickenlooper) and a former Denver mayor (Federico Pena). Gov. Ritter would make the appointment, which would last until 2010, when Salazar's term was due to expire.

Unnamed sources say the only thing delaying the naming of Salazar is a background check. NPR's Jeff Brady suggests something else may be afoot:

Last week a coalition of over 100 environmental groups — many of them based in the West — signed a letter asking Obama to nominate Grijalva. He currently chairs the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.

"Oregon and the rest of the West need an Interior secretary who understands the damage done over the last eight years and is willing and ready to step in and begin charting a new course for the department," said Steve Pedery, conservation director with Oregon Wild. "Representative Grijalva has demonstrated that he is ready to restore integrity at Interior."

As Salazar's name began to emerge Monday as Obama's pick, the groups behind that letter were clearly disappointed. The only ones pleased with the rumored pick were those in the agriculture and mining industries. During the campaign these folks, generally, were counted as supporters of Republican John McCain.

"Of all the names mentioned, Salazar is the one we're happiest with," said Dan Keppen, head of the Family Farm Alliance.

"Salazar is the first name mentioned that we could support," said Laura Skaer, executive director of the Northwest Mining Association.

It appears the environmental groups are beginning to concede they've lost their bid to have Grijalva nominated.

In a press release, Brian Vincent of the Oregon-based group Big Wildlife said it would "withhold judgment over President-elect Obama's selection of Senator Ken Salazar" and the group pledged to "hold his feet to the fire on key wildlife issues."

categories: Midterm Exams

9:55 - December 16, 2008

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