Washington state's Gregoire on short list to replace Kagan

Les Blumenthal | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire is on the short list to replace Solicitor General Elena Kagan, an administration official confirmed Wednesday.

Gregoire, who has been one of Obama's favorite governors attending meetings at the White House on everything from health care to education, is a two-term incumbent and former state attorney general. She endorsed Obama early, before the 2008 Washington state caucuses.

President Barack Obama nominated Kagan for the Supreme Court earlier this week.

If she is picked, Gregoire would join two other Washington state politicians in the top ranks of the administration — former Gov. Gary Locke is commerce secretary and form King County executive Ron Sims is No. 2 at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The solicitor general represents the federal government in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and is sometimes called the 10th Justice.

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