An announcement by President Barack Obama of a new Commerce secretary is unlikely to come today, according to White House officials. Those officials declined to speculate on whether Obama’s choice would be Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), although Gregg has emerged in recent days as the leading candidate.

GOP Senators have been pushing for Gregg to remain in the Senate, but barring that, they have insisted that New Hampshire’s Democratic Gov. John Lynch name a Republican to fill out the remainder of Gregg’s current term. Gregg is up for re-election in 2010.