Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has said that if Judd Gregg (R-NH) exits to take over the Department of Commerce for Barack Obama, the Democratic governor of New Hampshire would nevertheless appoint a Republican replacement. The new conventional wisdom holds that a moderate Republican would be picked by Gov. John Lynch, somebody who would vote with Democrats from time to time, while maintaining the present party line numbers. Gregg would inherit the converter box coupon mess if confirmed in time.
RBR/TVBR observation: That actually makes sense – it would only take one committed Republican to keep Gregg out of Obama’s cabinet. Democrats may not get another one of their own kind, but they would be getting a palatable Republican who may be an ally for now and possibly an easy target in 2010.
