Another New Mexican has joined Gov. Bill Richardson on the list of people being mentioned for possible cabinet-level appointments in Barack Obama’s administration.
Former state Attorney General Patricia Madrid is on the short list for interior secretary, The Politico is quoting “sources” as saying. Richardson was also said earlier in the week to be a top contender for that position, but there are conflicting reports about whether he will instead be named commerce secretary on Monday.
The article is about Hispanics seeking clout and high-ranking appointments in the Obama administration. Another Hispanic being considered to head the Interior Department, according to the article, is Sen. Ken Salazar of Colorado.
Madrid, a Democrat, notified me of the situation by e-mailing me The Politico’s article, but she made no comments about the situation in the e-mail. An assistant said she isn’t available for comment.
Madrid, who is from Las Cruces, became the first woman elected to be a district court judge in New Mexico in 1978. In 1998, she was elected attorney general, and she won re-election in 2002. In 2005, she chaired the Conference of Western Attorneys General.
In 2006, she ran against U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., but lost by fewer than 1,000 votes out of 211,000 votes cast. Madrid has said she may run for governor in 2010.