December 15, 2008 05:13 PM UTC

Sen. Salazar Again Tops Interior Department "Short List"

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• by: Colorado Pols

In a reversal from the prevailing conventional wisdom on Sen. Ken Salazar’s future only two weeks ago, the Denver Post reports:

U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar is a leading contender to become President-elect Barack Obama’s secretary of the Interior, two sources have confirmed.

Reuters News Service used even stronger language in a report Sunday, saying Salazar had become the top candidate for the job.

The worldwide news agency did not cite a source in putting the Colorado senator at the top of Obama’s list to lead the agency that plays a key role in issues important to Western states, such as overseeing oil and gas leases.

A source close to Obama’s transition team told The Denver Post late last week that Salazar was under consideration for the Cabinet position.

The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak, said at the time it appeared that it was all but up to Salazar as to whether he wanted the post.

A second source close to the process also confirmed Sunday that Sala zar was a leading contender. The senator’s spokesmen did not return telephone messages seeking comment.

Just last week, another Salazar sent Colorado politics spinning with the news that he was under consideration by Obama. Word emerged then that the president-elect was considering Salazar’s brother, John, who holds the 3rd District congressional seat in Colorado, for secretary of agriculture.

John Salazar’s prospects for that post seemed to dim when it was announced later in the week he was going to take a seat on the House Appropriations Committee, which sets federal spending.

The news that Ken Salazar was under consideration came as a surprise Friday to many Democratic strategists, who said they thought he was more interested in remaining in the Senate…

It seems to have been a surprise to lots of people, but as Ken’s brother Rep. John Salazar began to appear less likely for a Cabinet appointment last week, we wondered if a revisitation of Sen. Salazar at Interior was in the offing.

And sure enough–time to recalculate everything yet again.

This means you, [insert aspiring U.S. Senator here].