Gov. Chris Gregoire is on her way to Washington, D.C.

Gov. Chris Gregoire, who may be in the running for a job in President Obama’s administration, is on her way to Washington, D.C., for a Council of Governors meeting.

Gregoire’s spokesman, Cory Curtis, said the governor was on a plane Tuesday afternoon and will attend the Council of Governors meeting on Wednesday.

Curtis said it is the only meeting on the governor’s official schedule. When asked if she was meeting with anybody unofficially, Curtis said, “Not that I’m aware of, but I do not control that schedule.”

There’s been speculation that Gregoire might be picked to head up Interior or the EPA. Here’s a statement put out by Gregoire’s office:

Governor Gregoire is travelling to DC this afternoon for a Council of Governors meeting on Wednesday. This was a meeting that was to be held in November but was rescheduled to Wednesday, January 9.

The Air Force FY13 budget, as introduced in February, 2012, disproportionately cut the Air National Guard. Governor Gregoire was a vocal critic of those cuts. At the February 27, 2012 Council of Governors meeting, Governors Gregoire and Branstad, as the co-chairs of the Council, presented Secretary Panetta with a letter signed by 49 governors, asking that the Defense Department reconsider its proposal and that the Department work with governors to “fashion solutions that best serve the interests of this nation.”

This meeting is a continuation of that effort and before Governor Gregoire leaves office and Secretary Panetta leaves office, the Council of Governors would like to resolve the consultative process. Confirmed participants from the Council of Governors includes the co-chairs, Governors Gregoire and Branstad (IA), together with Governors Mead (WY); O’Malley (MD); Nixon (MO); and Abercrombie (HI).

Federal officials at the meeting include:

• The Honorable Ashton Carter, Deputy Secretary of Defense
• General Frank Grass, Chief, National Guard Bureau
• The Honorable Paul Stockton, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas Security Affairs

The Governor returns to Washington state on Wednesday.

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Politics Northwest is the go-to blog for politics in our region. The blog explores national, state and local political news and issues. Reporters from Washington, D.C., to Seattle City Hall to the state capital in Olympia contribute. Editors are Richard Wagoner and Beth Kaiman.

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