From Deseret News archives:

Fight over Leavitt fizzles in the Senate

Governor poised to be confirmed today as new chief of EPA

Published: Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2003 11:20 a.m. MST
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WASHINGTON — Opponents of Gov. Mike Leavitt raised a white flag Monday, surrendering without even firing a shot in what was supposed to be the big, close showdown over his nomination to head the Environmental Protection Agency.

As a result, Leavitt is poised to be confirmed by the Senate this morning to become only the fifth Utahn ever to join a presidential Cabinet.


The succession

Once confirmed as EPA administrator, Gov. Mike Leavitt is to be succeeded by Lt. Gov. Olene Walker — making her Utah's first woman governor. The transition remains in flux but may proceed as follows, state officials say:

Only days after confirmation by the Senate, Leavitt will sign a resignation letter and Walker will be inaugurated governor during the same ceremony.

If he is confirmed today, that historic transition could happen early next week, perhaps by Monday.

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Leavitt apparently plans to leave Utah immediately thereafter to assume his new post in Washington, D.C.

When it was apparent they were about to lose Monday, Leavitt's critics simply waived a procedural vote that had loomed as Leavitt's biggest obstacle — because his supporters would have had to win it by a large three-fifths majority, or 60 votes, instead of the simple majority needed later on a final confirmation vote.

The opposition "clearly didn't have anywhere near even just the 40 votes they needed" among the 100 senators to defeat a "cloture" vote, said Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, chief deputy Republican whip, a key vote counter and strategist .

"So it didn't make any sense to put us all through the exercise" of a formal cloture vote to overcome "holds" placed against him by six Democrats, Bennett said. "So we will vote on his final confirmation," now scheduled at 8:30 a.m. MST today. "I expect he will pass with maybe 70-plus votes."

Leavitt has said he could turn over the state's governance to Lt. Gov. Olene Walker between one and seven days after confirmation — and she is poised to become the state's first woman governor.

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