December 12, 2008 08:07 PM UTC

Salazar All But Backs Out of Running for Ag. Post

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• by: Colorado Pols

Sorry Josh Penry, et al. From The Pueblo Chieftain:

Whenever reporters wanted to talk this week to Colorado Rep. John Salazar about his potential nomination to head the Agriculture Department, the San Luis Valley potato farmer remained behind closed doors.

Salazar, 55, ended all the suspense Thursday by announcing he’d gotten the job he’d really been chasing for six months – an open seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which oversees the federal budget, making the actual dollar decisions for every government agency.

“This is a great win for Colorado and for the 3rd Congressional District,” the two-term Democrat told reporters in a conference call Thursday morning. “I look forward to serving in this capacity for many years to come.”

Salazar, who was just elected to a third term on Nov. 4, had Democrats and Republicans across the state preparing to jump into a special election to replace him, should Obama pick Salazar to head USDA. Pueblo County District Attorney Bill Thiebaut and state Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, both raised their hands last week when asked who would be considering a run to replace Salazar in the 3rd District. Republican possibilities included state Rep. Scott Tipton, from Cortez, who ran against Salazar in 2006, as well as state Sen. Josh Penry, from Grand Junction. Penry was a staffer for former Rep. Scott McInnis, R-Colo., who held the 3rd District seat for 12 years before Salazar took office. But serving on Obama’s Cabinet was not what Salazar had been working toward, he told reporters.

“I’ve been working to land this seat (on appropriations) for six months and 22 other members were trying for it as well,” Salazar said, celebrating his new committee assignment, which was made by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday night.

Salazar said it was “an honor” to have been considered by the Obama team as a possible choice to head USDA, but that he had not sought the Cabinet appointment. Of course, few lawmakers are willing to say they would refuse a request from the president to serve a new administration.

“If President-elect Obama asked me to serve, I would have to seriously consider it, but this committee assignment would make it very difficult to leave the House,” Salazar told reporters, making it clear which he preferred.