Obama's Cabinet Picks: Energy Secretary

With the announcement of the new Secretary of Energy possibly occurring this week, two more names have been scratched off the shortlist. Per The Kansas City Star, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius has removed her name from consideration.

“Given the extraordinary budget challenges facing our state and my commitment to continuing the progress we’ve made in Kansas, I believe it is important to continue my service as governor of the great state of Kansas,” Sebelius said.

And in a succinctly titled Washington Post piece up at The Fix, Chris Cillizza reports that "Dorgan Won't Be Energy Secretary."

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) is no longer under consideration to be secretary of energy in President-elect Barack Obama's administration, according to transition officials. The decision was arrived at based on a belief within the former Illinois senator's inner circle that the plains state Democrat is more valuable to them where he is.

"Senator Dorgan would be a fantastic energy secretary but, because he is too important as a red state senator and a powerful ally, he is best suited to help advance President-elect Obama's agenda in the Senate," said a transition official granted anonymity to speak candidly about internal deliberations.

According to Cillizza, candidates still being considered include three Governors: Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA), Bill Ritter (D-CO), and Jennifer Granholm (D-MI). Several from the private sector are also in the mix: Google's Dan Reicher, Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers, former Edison International CEO John Bryson, Federal Express Chairman Fred Smith and Steve Chu, the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Meanwhile, Craig Gordon and Ben Smith over at The Politico float a name not heard in a few weeks: former EPA Administrator Carol Browner.

Click here for more NNN coverage on who will be in the Obama Cabinet.