Napolitano plans DC trip in bid for new job

Gov. Janet Napolitano is headed to Washington next week in her bid for her new job.

But she may not be governor when she finally returns.

Gubernatorial press aide Jeanine L'Ecuyer said Napolitano flies to the nation's capital midday this coming Tuesday, just 24 hours after giving what is expected to be her last State of the State speech. The governor is awaiting confirmation as Barack Obama's pick to be the next chief of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

"At this point there is not a return on her schedule,” said L'Ecuyer.

Congressional Quarterly is reporting that the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs has tentatively scheduled confirmation hearings for Jan. 15.

At this point there has been no visible opposition to Napolitano. In fact, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Me., the ranking Republican on the panel, already met with Napolitano Monday and, in a prepared statement, pronounced herself "impressed with the governor’s background and knowledge of homeland security issues.”

"As a senator representing a border state, I especially appreciate that, when it comes to border security, Gov. Napolitano understands that we must accommodate legitimate trade and travel,” Collins said. "We have to let our friends in, while keeping our enemies out.”

Collins said, though, she is reserving final judgment until the confirmation hearings have been completed.

Despite her planned travel -- and lack of return plans -- Napolitano has refused to resign as governor. She said that won't happen until the full Senate approves her nomination, something that cannot occur before Obama is sworn in as president on Jan. 20.

Napolitano has promised to prepare a proposed new budget to state lawmakers before that date.

The governor has repeatedly defended her extensive out-of-state travel, first to campaign for Obama and, more recently, following her nomination and her trips to Chicago and Washington to meet with Obama's transition team and others. Napolitano said she has the capacity to focus on more than her responsibilities as governor.