U.S. Senator Gregg Accepts Commerce Secretary Nomination

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Republican Senator Judd Gregg has accepted an offer from the White House to become the new U.S. Commerce Secretary on Monday on the condition that his replacement in New Hampshire also be a Republican, he said.

On Monday, news that President Barack Obama was considering nominating the Senator was seen as a political move to strengthen a Democratic Senate by giving the party the possibility of reaching the 60-seat majority needed to break Republican filibusters to block legislation.

The official nomination from Obama will come on Tuesday.

New Hampshire Governor John Lynch is a Democrat and technically the decision over the appointment falls to him.

However, Gregg has chosen to accept the nomination to head the Department of Commerce after receiving assurances from President Obama that his replacement will come from the GOP.

According to CNN, Gregg is likely to be succeeded by his former chief of staff, Bonnie Newman.

Obama originally nominated New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson to be Commerce Secretary, but a public inquiry regarding his ties to a New Mexican firm forced him to bow out of the running.

By Erik Kevin Franco and edited by Stephen Huebl
©CEP News Ltd. 2009