Gov. John Lynch (D) would likely pick Republican to replace Gregg

[wyldwolf]

According to First Read, the possible nomination of Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) as President Obama's secretary of commerce 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 that 60th senate seat in the coming years seems probable."

CQ Politics quotes Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) saying the appointment would be "a pretty sneaky, sneaky move to get a really good person as Commerce secretary and put us in a bind politically."

-----

James Pindell, who has covered New Hampshire politics since 2002, tells Political Wire that the odds of Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) taking the job of secretary of commerce are currently 65-35 if offered.

But Pindell notes that Gov. John Lynch (D), who would choose Gregg's replacement in the Senate, "is the type of guy that would pick a Republican just because he is replacing a Republican and to bone up his bi-partisan credibility. Lynch has yet to comment on the issue -- heck Gregg has yet to be appointed -- but right now the money is on former Gov. Walter Peterson (R). He was chair of the 'Republicans for Lynch' committee, would vote with Democrats as much as Maine's Senators do, and most likely wouldn't run in 2010."

http://www.politicalwire.com/

[TwilightGardener]

1. What kind of stupid-dick Dem governor would replace a Repub Senator

with another GOPer (to burnish his bipartisan creds?) when we can have 60 seats--which is probably why Obama is picking Gregg to begin with? Would a GOP governor do this? HELL NO!

[Renew Deal]

4. Spitzer did something like this to get 1 seat closer to controlling the NY State Senate

He picked some LI repub State Senator to be "homeland security" chief. The district was favorable to Democrats and we won the seat in the special election.

I am comfortable with Lynch going either way. Picking a republican is "fair." Picking a Democrat helps the country the most. We should probably look at precedent, first in NH, and nationally. Have republicans replaced dems with dems? If that's the tradition, then we shouldn't break it.

[TwilightGardener]

5. Re-read it, it sounds like the gov's just looking to reward a personal GOP crony of his.

[HughMoran]

6. That's not really the case

If you know NH politics, you'd realize that many Republicans are RINOs because only Rerpublicans could be elected here until recently, so many would 'become' R's to run for office.

[TwilightGardener]

8. That may be--however, we're talking about an appointment that will

affect the country, not just NH, and a D is almost always better than even the most RINO R.

[HughMoran]

10. If it's traditional to keep the same party as was removed, it would be inappropriate to do otherwise

I would assume that if an agreement is made to keep it a Republican, then he will honor that. I would assume that an agreement of this type is par for the course.

[Thrill]

15. If there is an agreement like that in place. Gregg won't be Commerce Secretary

[karynnj]

19. I was surprised that it was the law in some states - like AZ

[SoxFan]

25. Come on, Hugh

The Petersons have been big players in the GOP for years. Walter's son Andy was just re-elected to the House from Peterborough as a Republican. They aren't stealth Democrats at all.

[HughMoran]

29. I guess I wasn't assuming that he already had someone in mind

Lots of crappy RINOs up here that he could choose from that would not run in 2010.

[karynnj]

18. I wouldn't say that

He would be picking someone who is LIKELY NOT TO RUN in 2010 and who would vote with the Democrats as often as the ME Senators. The 60 number is not like the 50 number - where the control of the Senate changes, it has to do with who will vote for the specific bill.

Whether it makes sense, is whether the voters would "punish" a Democrat because he/she was given a seat the Republicans won. If this is a real fear - enough to outweigh incumbency - someone like him would be the best Republican. (I have my doubts that that is true - but I know very little about NH (other than parts of it are very pretty and it is next to MA).

[geek tragedy]

7. Lynch is a total DINO. He refused to endorse Obama for months

after Hillary herself did.

[Cha]

17. Wow...what's

up with that?

[SoxFan]

26. His precious approval rating

Lynch is obsessed with maintaining his high approval rating, which usually hovers around 70%. He tries to do absolutely nothing that will offend anyone. He is deathly afraid of offending the "moderate Republicans" (ie, corporate Republicans who are liberal on pelvic issues), to the extent that he actually endorses GOP senators and executive councilors over legitimate, qualified Democratic challengers.

Status quo uber alles.

[liskddksil]

2. Not worth it then

lets get a Democratic commerce secretary if we are not going to get 60 seats now.

[Lyric]

3. Of course he'd pick a Republican.

I can't see how anyone would think that he'd do otherwise, honestly. The people voted for one (sadly) so he'll appoint a 'Puke to replace Gregg. Of course, there are Repukes and there are Repukes. We'd have a really good chance of getting a Lincoln Chafee-type Republican, which would really piss them off. Party affiliation and ideology do not always precisely coincide, and so long as there's an "R" after the name of the person he appoints, the Repukes won't be able to gripe much.

That's what I'm hoping for. :)

[Barack_America]

9. Lol. My thoughts EXACTLY!

"Appoint Lincoln Chafee" (or somebody like him). RINOs, that's what the Freepers call them, right?

GMTA, I guess. ;)

[Hippo_Tron]

20. If that was the standard in every case I would agree with you

But it's not. Governors often appoint Senators of the opposite party of the appointee's predecessor. If there was a law that said Governors should always appoint a senator of the same party as the senator that is vacating the seat then so be it. But no such law exists.

Senate appointments are at the end of the day a partisan political matter. Governor Lynch has an obligation as a Governor to appoint somebody who will do a good job representing the state of New Hampshire. He has an obligation as a Democrat to appoint a Democrat. Any Republican in his place would appoint a Republican.

Unless of course Gregg demands that Lynch appoint a Republican as a condition of his taking the appointment then it would be acceptable for Obama, Lynch, and Gregg to work out a deal. But if no such deal is made then Governor Lynch should appoint a Democrat.

[SoxFan]

27. Lynch is basically a Republican himself

* Re-appointed Kelly Ayotte as attorney general
* Endorsed Bob Odell over Jay Phinizy
* Supported Ray Wieczorek over Bob Bruce
* Had a Peter Spaulding sign of his freaking front lawn in 2006
* Holds fundraisers with exclusive "Graniteers" level for donors of $5,000 or more, ie, PSNH, Waste Management, etc.
* Supported a half-baked school funding plan that shirks real change
* Refuses to get tough on PSNH's mercury-belching plants

[Still Sensible]

11. This looks like manufactured controversy

to me and simply doesn't make sense. With a democrat in the White House and oodles of stimulus money to be distributed from the executive branch--a significant amount directly to states--Lynch would have to be a total idiot to try and appoint a republican to that seat. But, heck maybe he is a total idiot.

Of course, I still think the nomination of Gregg is more of a longshot than the media is reporting. He might be on the short list, but after his no vote on SCHIP yesterday I don't expect the administration will reward him... and it would be embarrassing to have offered him the job just to have him cave to his GOP colleagues (the pressure would be incredible) and turn it down or pull out under pressure in a few days.

[SoxFan]

28. It's not manufactured

Lynch has a track record of passing over Democrats in favor of wealthy Establishment Republicans to stay in their good graces politically.

[tritsofme]

12. There was an absolute tizzy in this place a few weeks ago when it looked like there would be a

special election for the IL Senate seat, and that a Republican might win.

I would be willing to bet that its the same people who couldn't believe what was "rightfully" a Democratic seat could possibly go to a Republican are the same ones whining that a Republican may be replaced by a Republican.

I'll never forget a thread I saw where the OP asked in all seriousness if Republicans would be allowed to vote in an IL special election, just ridiculous hypocrisy you see here all too often

[Hope And Change]

13. Gregg confirms he's in Commerce mix

Gregg confirms he's in Commerce mix

By MANU RAJU & DAVID ROGERS | 1/29/09 7:35 PM EST Updated: 1/30/09 10:55 AM EST

Sen. Judd Gregg has confirmed that he’s under consideration for Commerce secretary in the Obama administration, setting up a potentially serious fight between Republicans who want to keep him as a leader in the Senate chamber and a new president who wants a truly bipartisan cabinet.

The news was first reported Thursday night, but Gregg, for the first time Friday morning, confirmed that he's being considered for the post. Gregg is one of the most respected financial experts on Capitol Hill and was an architect of the $700 billion Wall Street rescue, but if he leaves the Senate, his replacement would certainly be a New Hampshire Democrat, potentially giving Democrats the magic 60 in that chamber.

“I am aware that my name is one of those being considered by the White House for Secretary of Commerce, and am honored to be considered, along with others, for the position," Gregg said in a statement. "Beyond that there is nothing more I can say at this time.”

It’s unclear how seriously Gregg is being considered for the job. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he’d “heard” that Gregg was being considered seriously, but another Senate source suggested that perhaps the White House was floating Gregg’s name as “a weather balloon.”

Still, even the hint of the possibility sparked concerns from Republican leaders, who assume that New Hampshire’s Democratic governor, John Lynch, would appoint a Democrat to replace Gregg. Assuming Al Franken defeats Norm Coleman in Minnesota, a new Democratic senator from New Hampshire would give Democrats a 60-seat majority –enough to overcome Republican filibusters.


http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18193.html">Full article here

[Thrill]

14. I posted earlier that after reading up on this Governor, I think its a terrible idea to pick Gregg

This guy will screw us just to try prove his Independent Streak

[mikiturner]

16. Listening to the GOP whine

Was reason enough to float this.

“Judd Gregg not running for re-election makes it extremely interesting,” said Kathy Sullivan, a former New Hampshire Democratic chairwoman, with evident glee in her voice.

Senate Republicans are, to state the obvious, far less joyful.

“The conference would be considerably weakened without Judd Gregg,” said one Senate GOP leadership aide.

:popcorn:

[rocktivity]

21. This all sounds like self-serving speculation

with a squad of Rethung "sources familiar with the story" planting seeds in the media's ears. A Republican as SECRETARY OF COMMERCE--yeah, I can see Obama going for that!

:rofl:
rocktivity

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

22. Why doesn't this surprise me? Repukes stick together. Democrats bury

their own!! :puke::puke:

[cali]

23. And the NYT today says he'd likely pick a dem n/t

[SoxFan]

24. I said this yesterday

Everyone looked at me like I had three heads