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    Johanns Resigns as Agriculture Secretary
    By Catharine Richert and Gregory L. Giroux,
    Congressional Quarterly

    Thursday 20 September 2007

    Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns resigned Thursday amid reports he will run for the Senate in his home state of Nebraska.

    "I couldn't have asked for a better secretary of agriculture," President Bush said in accepting Johanns' resignation.

    "He worked hard to put in motion a good farm bill. ... He set the framework for success, and I'm confident we can get a good bill passed."

    Published reports in Nebraska have said Johanns, a Republican former governor, will run for the seat of retiring GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel. Johanns has not officially confirmed those reports, but Bush hinted strongly that they are accurate.

    "He told me he was interested in continuing to serve America but in a different role. ... there's no question in my mind that Mike loves Nebraska, and he's serious about going home and possibly serving the nation in a different capacity."

    The president said he offered Johanns his support and encouragement and added, "If it's Mike's decision and Nebraska's choice, he would make an outstanding member of the United States Senate. There is no doubt in my mind."

    With Congress knee-deep in writing a new five-year farm bill, lobbyists and congressional aides expect Bush to name somebody who has been involved in the deliberations to replace Johanns. The most obvious candidate is his deputy, Charles F. Conner, tapped by Bush to serve as acting secretary.

    Conner is generally credited as the chief architect of the Agriculture Department's farm bill proposal earlier this year.

    But Conner's role in drawing up that blueprint might complicate his confirmation if Bush should nominate him to succeed Johanns. The Agriculture Department proposal strongly advocated a major restructuring of farm subsidies to wean farmers from federal dollars and make U.S. agriculture programs more compliant with international trade rules.

    Many members of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which will pass judgment on a nominee, opposing cutting subsidies -- including ranking Republican Saxby Chambliss of Georgia. Opposition to the administration's approach could hold up confirmation of Conner or other internal candidates, and one farm lobbyist suggested that the president may end up filling the post with a recess appointment.

    Many Republican insiders see Johanns as their party's strongest possible contender, with the best hope of holding the seat if Democrat Bob Kerrey, another former Nebraska governor (1983-87) and U.S. senator (1989-2001), jumps into the Senate race. Kerrey is president of The New School in New York City.

    But Johanns may have to fight for the GOP nomination. Already in the field for the May 13 primary are state Attorney General Jon Bruning, former U.S. Rep. Hal Daub (1981-89) and investment banker Pat Flynn.

    Johanns, 57, served as Nebraska's governor from 1999 until 2005, when he left to join Bush's Cabinet. In addition to overseeing the administration's farm bill proposal, he led efforts to reopen foreign markets that had banned U.S. beef imports after a case of mad cow disease.

    Conner has been present at almost every farm bill hearing, markup and out-of-town listening session. Conner, a former president of the Corn Refiners Association who also served as staff director for the Senate Agriculture Committee, is viewed by congressional aides and farm lobbyists as a logical successor to Johanns.

    Other potential internal candidates include Thomas C. Dorr, undersecretary for rural development, and Mark E. Keenum, undersecretary for farm and foreign agriculture service .

    Former Rep. Larry Combest (1985-2003), a Texas Republican who chaired the House Agriculture Committee when the last farm bill (PL 107-171) was written in 2002, is a potential candidate if the president looks outside the administration.