ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Saying she’s well-prepared to lead if needed, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish is assuring New Mexicans of a smooth transition should she take over as governor early next year.
Gov. Bill Richardson reportedly is in line to become secretary of the Commerce Department in President-elect Barack Obama’s Cabinet. His departure would make Denish the state’s first female governor.
Denish said during a news conference Monday that in her current post she’s worked with the Legislature and executive branch for the past six years. Her main job, she said, has been to be prepared to take over if needed.
“It will be a very smooth transition,” she said. “I’m ready to take the lead.” Denish declined to discuss any plans for a transition or possible changes in state Cabinet positions, if she becomes governor.
“There’s only one governor at a time and the governor is Bill Richardson and there’s been no official announcement,” she said.
Obama plans to announce Richardson’s nomination after Thanksgiving, a Democratic official familiar with the discussions said over the weekend. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the negotiations and did so on condition of anonymity.
Denish said she has been in close contact with Richardson during the past week. The two have been discussing priorities for the upcoming legislative session, which convenes Jan. 20.
“The governor and I have been talking about what we’re going to do this legislative session. We work closely together on thinking about — as the revenue numbers change — what we need to do in this legislative session, what are some of the things that will be on the table.
“I think the governor felt like it was premature, as I did, to discuss anything beyond that,” Denish said.
A spokesman for Richardson, Gilbert Gallegos, said the governor “believes the lieutenant governor is prepared to be a very good governor.” Richardson is at the Capitol this week, working on his state budget proposal and his legislative agenda — “and that agenda will be as aggressive as ever,” Gallegos said.
He also said Richardson “looks forward to delivering the State of the State address,” and plans to do so in person on Jan. 20, the day the Legislature convenes and the day Obama will be inaugurated.
Denish has met with 10 Cabinet secretaries and Attorney General Gary King in the last several weeks to discuss legislative and budget priorities, as she has every year that she’s been lieutenant governor, her spokeswoman, Danielle Montoya, said.
Veterans’ Services Secretary John Garcia, who met with Denish on Monday, said in an interview that the meeting was not unusual and the two never discussed the possibility of her becoming governor.
If Denish becomes governor, she’ll appoint a replacement lieutenant governor. She declined to comment on possible choices, other than to say that there are a number of qualified people she would be interested in appointing.
Speculation in political circles has focused on Auditor Hector Balderas and Lawrence Rael, executive director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments, as possible appointments.
Denish, 59, was Richardson’s running mate in 2002 and 2006. She has long planned to run for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2010, and has been raising money for that campaign.
She serves as governor when Richardson is out of state and presides over the state Senate as lieutenant governor.
