Sebelius Sworn in as new HHS Secretary; Parkinson Sworn in as new Governor

Kathleen Sebelius ended her term as Governor of Kansas on Tuesday as she resigned her post to be sworn in next to President Barack Obama as the new U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary. Sebelius was officially confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 65-31. Kansas Senators Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback both stood by their initial endorsements of Sebelius despite some criticism from colleagues in the Republican Party and voted in favor of her confirmation. Sebelius will inherit a possible international health crisis with the spread of the Swine Flu. After being sworn in she was taken to the White House for a briefing over the flu. Sebelius was the Governor of Kansas from 2003 until Tuesday.

Mark Parkinson was sworn in Tuesday as the 45th Governor of Kansas. Parkinson served in the Kansas House of Representatives from 1991 to 1992 and the Kansas Senate from 1993 to 1997. Parkinson was the chairman of the Republican party in Kansas in 2004, but changed parties in 2006 to run as Lt. Governor on the Sebelius re-election ticket. Parkinson has stated that he has no intentions on running in 2010. On the Republican side of the Governor’s race Sam Brownback and Ron Thornburgh have both announced they are running for Governor in 2010.