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. Story continues below 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.