There are rumors — that’s all they are at this point — that outgoing Washington Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire is about to be tabbed as the next head of the federal Environmental Protection Agency by President Obama.
A number of political blogs have repeated a report first published on Seattlepi.com several days ago that the Democratic governor has emerged as a leading candidate. The report cited an unnamed senior source in the state’s congressional delegation. According to a Washington Post political blogger, other names from within the agency have surfaced as well.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has announced that she’s leaving the job. The Hill also had Gregoire in the mix for Interior secretary should Ken Salazar depart.
Gregoire has been mum on the rumors. Her name has come up before for such jobs as Commerce secretary and Attorney General, among others.
She did head the state’s Department of Ecology before a 12-year stint as state attorney general.