President Obama has received another blow to his cabinet selection. Republican Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, whom President Obama had picked as his Commerce Secretary, has withdrawn from the nomination. In a statement released Thursday, Senator Gregg cited "irresolvable conflicts," with the President on the stimulus package and the upcoming 2010 Census.   

Senator Gregg would have been the third Republican to join the Obama Administration. The other two Republicans are Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. During a visit to Illinois, Mr. Obama said he was surprised by Gregg's withdrawal. 

Senator Gregg is a fiscal conservative and had problems with the $787 billion price tag on the stimulus package being pushed through Congress.  Tuesday Gregg did not vote in the Senate on the economic stimulus package. 

 

In order to sell the stimulus package to the public, President Obama has had a series of campaign-style town hall meetings throughout the country in places hit the hardest by the economic downturn. 

President Obama's original Commerce Secretary pick was New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.  He withdrew in January amid questions surrounding a federal grand jury investigation. In another nomination withdrawal recently former Senator Tom Daschle took himself out of the running for Secretary of Human and Health Services.  He is under scrutiny for tax issues.