Gregg: Put Partisanship Aside

Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) called on politicians to “put partisanship aside” this morning upon being officially nominated by President Obama to serve as Commerce secretary.

“The President has called for a bold, aggressive, comprehensive, and bipartisan approach to help address the crisis, and I am honored to do my part as the Administration takes significant action to restore the American economy,” Gregg said.

Speculation swirled this week that Gregg’s nomination could tip the balance of power in the Senate if New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (D) appointed a Democrat to replace him. Lynch indicated yesterday, however, that he will appoint a Republican replacement.

Lynch’s praise for Obama’s economic agenda comes at a time when the White House is seeking GOP support for a stimulus package costing of over $800 billion in the Senate.

See Gregg’s full statement below:

Today, I have been nominated by President Obama to serve in his administration as Secretary of Commerce, and I want to thank the President for this extraordinary opportunity. I have accepted this post, and the call to help address the momentous and significant economic challenges facing our nation.

Kathy and I want to thank the people of New Hampshire for affording me the privilege to serve them in the U.S. Senate for the past 16 years. It has been an honor for both of us to work on behalf of Granite Staters and represent their priorities in Washington, and to do our part to help make our state a better place to live and raise a family. I also thank my Senate colleagues for their leadership, support and friendship as we continue to work toward solutions to help address families