BROOKINGS--Biereland Gov. San Bartholomew (N) found himself partner-less this week.
That's because his former political partner, Lt. Gov. Ashton Downs (N), resigned her post last week after President Brenton Menuhaeo asked her to serve as Director of Consumer Affairs in his administration.
Downs' resignation means Bartholomew will have to appoint someone to fill the lieutenant governorship until the 2014 election.
According to Simon Petersen, a Brookings political insider and reporter, Bartholomew has two men at the top of his list of possible replacements for Ashton Downs.
They are former federal Sen. Steve Kolotano (N), who served from 2008 until 2011, when he was removed from the Senate involuntarily in the Senate Reduction Lottery.
And state Rep. Gabriel Sanchez (N-Oho), who at age 32, would be a very young pick, but could bring ethnic diversity to Bartholomew's cabinet.
Kolotano is viewed as the more experienced choice. He has been involved in Biereland politics for more than a decade. The crafty Conservative-turned-Nationalist could also add tenacity to Bartholomew's campaign, a much-needed asset, since Bartholomew is considered especially vulnerable heading into the upcoming 2014 election.
Bartholomew's office would not comment on whom the governor is considering.
"All I can tell you is that Governor Bartholomew is considering many possible candidates for the job," spokeswoman Kelly Stacy told the Greene Mountain Press (GMP).
Neither Kolotano nor Sanchez would comment either.
Simon Petersen told the GMP that Kolotano is also considering a challenge to Sen. Brad Bearns (C) in the 2014 election.
Sanchez has been planning to run for lieutenant governor for several months now, Petersen said.
"This is all just through the political grapevine," said Petersen. "But word has it that Steve Kolotano may try to claw his way back into the Senate by challenging Conservative Brad Bearns, and Gabe Sanchez is already thinking of running for lieutenant governor in 2014. So even if [Sanchez] is not appointed to the position now, he will likely make a run for it in the near future."
The governor has 90 days to appoint a replacement. That means he has until May 26 to appoint someone to the position.
In Biereland, the lieutenant governor serves as President of the state Senate, and as an ambassador for the state.
The lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor, and thus can be of a different political party.
That's because his former political partner, Lt. Gov. Ashton Downs (N), resigned her post last week after President Brenton Menuhaeo asked her to serve as Director of Consumer Affairs in his administration.
Downs' resignation means Bartholomew will have to appoint someone to fill the lieutenant governorship until the 2014 election.
According to Simon Petersen, a Brookings political insider and reporter, Bartholomew has two men at the top of his list of possible replacements for Ashton Downs.
They are former federal Sen. Steve Kolotano (N), who served from 2008 until 2011, when he was removed from the Senate involuntarily in the Senate Reduction Lottery.
And state Rep. Gabriel Sanchez (N-Oho), who at age 32, would be a very young pick, but could bring ethnic diversity to Bartholomew's cabinet.
Kolotano is viewed as the more experienced choice. He has been involved in Biereland politics for more than a decade. The crafty Conservative-turned-Nationalist could also add tenacity to Bartholomew's campaign, a much-needed asset, since Bartholomew is considered especially vulnerable heading into the upcoming 2014 election.
Bartholomew's office would not comment on whom the governor is considering.
"All I can tell you is that Governor Bartholomew is considering many possible candidates for the job," spokeswoman Kelly Stacy told the Greene Mountain Press (GMP).
Neither Kolotano nor Sanchez would comment either.
Simon Petersen told the GMP that Kolotano is also considering a challenge to Sen. Brad Bearns (C) in the 2014 election.
Sanchez has been planning to run for lieutenant governor for several months now, Petersen said.
"This is all just through the political grapevine," said Petersen. "But word has it that Steve Kolotano may try to claw his way back into the Senate by challenging Conservative Brad Bearns, and Gabe Sanchez is already thinking of running for lieutenant governor in 2014. So even if [Sanchez] is not appointed to the position now, he will likely make a run for it in the near future."
The governor has 90 days to appoint a replacement. That means he has until May 26 to appoint someone to the position.
In Biereland, the lieutenant governor serves as President of the state Senate, and as an ambassador for the state.
The lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor, and thus can be of a different political party.
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