December 2004

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Former Democratic Senator John Breaux, of Louisiana, is seen as a likely candidate to replace Spencer Abraham as Secretary of Energy in the second Bush cabinet. At least that’s the speculation among some, but probably not all, Washington operatives with an interest in DoE and its policies. One player on the alternative/renewable energy scene in Washington describes Breaux, a Democrat, “as a moderate in all things. He’s a transactional sort who would be open to hydrogen, especially if Big Oil continued to support it - and there is no question the President continues to be a big supporter.” In this context, it also helps that Breaux comes from an oil state, Louisiana. Breaux, who decided to retire this fall, served on the Senate’s Commerce, Science & Transportation, and Finance Committees, and also as Deputy Minority Whip. Another name that has been mentioned as a possible successor is Kyle McSlarrow, DoE deputy secretary under Abraham. A possible long shot, in the view of at least one Washington operative, is David K. Garman, DoE assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy. This observer points to the pattern of Bush appointments to his second-term cabinet so far, in which staffers - Condoleezza Rice at State, Margaret Spellings at Education, and Alberto Gonzalez at Justice - were elevated to full department secretary posts.