Sources: Sen. Judd Gregg accepts commerce secretary post

[obama democrat]

From Ed Henry and John King
CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire has
accepted President Barack Obama's offer to be commerce secretary, two
administration officials said Monday.


Sources tell CNN Sen. Judd Gregg will be President Barack Obama's
choice for commerce secretary.

The announcement is scheduled for Tuesday, the officials said. And in
a move that will leave the balance of the Senate unchanged, New
Hampshire's Democratic governor will name a Republican to replace
Gregg, state political sources said.

Gregg, a third-term Republican known for being fiscally conservative,
said in a written statement Friday that he was among those being
considered for the post, but White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said
no final decision has been made.

Gregg's term is up in 2010. If he left the Senate, New Hampshire Gov.
John Lynch could have named a Democrat to replace him, giving the
Democrats the 60-seat majority needed to overcome Republican attempts
to use filibusters to block legislation.

But state political sources from both parties said Monday that Lynch
will name Gregg's former chief of staff, Bonnie Newman, to replace
him.

Newman, most recently the interim president of the University of New
Hampshire, also worked in the White House during the first Bush
administration and was an assistant commerce secretary during the
Reagan administration.

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Democrats hold 58 seats in the Senate, with one seat -- in Minnesota
-- still subject to legal challenge. In a statement issued earlier
Monday, Lynch said Gregg had told him he would not give up his seat
"if it changed the balance in the Senate."

"It is important that President Obama be able to select the advisors
he feels are necessary to help him address the challenges facing our
nation," Lynch said. "If President Obama does nominate Sen. Gregg to
serve as commerce secretary, I will name a replacement who will put
the people of New Hampshire first and represent New Hampshire
effectively in the U.S. Senate."

Sunday, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Gregg had given
him a similar guarantee.

Obama first nominated New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to be commerce
secretary. But Richardson withdrew in early January, citing the
distraction of a federal investigation into ties to a company that has
done business with his state.