Napolitano picked for Homeland Security

By Michael J.W. Stickings

President-elect Obama has reportedly chosen Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano to be Secretary of Homeland Security.

Napolitano, one of Obama's most prominent supporters during the primaries, has been a hugely popular and successful governor of a border state:

Arizona Demcratic Gov. Janet Napolitano has been chosen to serve as secretary of the vast and troubled Department of Homeland Security for President-elect Barack Obama, Democratic officials said. Napolitano is a border governor who will now be responsible for immigration policy and border security, which are part of Homeland Security’s myriad functions.

Napolitano brings law and order experience from her stint as the Grand Canyon State’s first female attorney general. One of the nation’s most prominent female elected officials, she made frequent appearances on behalf of Barack Obama during the campaign. She was reelected to a second four year term in 2006.

Though a Republican, Secretary of State Jan Brewer, will succeed her as governor, and though, as a member of the Cabinet, she may decide not to launch a challenge to McCain in 2010, I agree with Steve Benen that she's "a terrific choice."

For more, see CNN, which first reported the story last night. Again, nothing is official yet.