Paper says former Dallas mayor one of two finalists for top transportation job

RON KIRK

The Trucker News Services

12/15/2008

WASHINGTON — Add former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk’s name to the list of candidates to become the new Secretary of Transportation.

In fact, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported in today’s editions that Kirk is one of two finalists for the position, the other being California's Steve Heminger, executive director of the San Francisco Bay area's Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

Kirk, Heminger, Jane Garvey and Mortimer Downey are all listed as candidates by The Associated Press.

Garvey is former head of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Downey is a former deputy transportation secretary and heads up Obama’s transportation transition team.

The Star-Telegram said Kirk had confirmed in an interview that he was under consideration and said he was filling out a final vetting form for President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team.

Kirk, a partner with Houston-based Vinson & Elkins, was an early supporter of Obama’s for president, the paper said.

Heminger is being promoted for the transportation post by the California congressional delegation, especially House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Pelosi named Heminger to the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission.

Kirk, who was Texas secretary of state under Texas Gov. Ann Richards, served as Dallas mayor from 1995 to 2001, when he resigned to run for the U.S. Senate.

He lost to John Cornyn in 2002.

Kirk has practiced law and stayed active in politics.

He said that if a call came to resume public service, he would do so but that he had to take financial considerations into account.

The Trucker staff can be reached to comment on this article at editor@thetrucker.com.