Ken Salazar

Ken Salazar
Secretary of Interior

Age 47

Family Married, with two daughters and a granddaughter

Birthplace Alamosa, Colorado

Professional Salazar earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Colorado and a J.D. from the University of Michigan School of Law. He then practiced law in Denver from 1981-86 and acted as chief legal counsel to Gov. Roy Romer of Colorado for four years. In 1990-94, he was executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. After four years of private practice, Salazar became Colorado’s attorney general. For four years ending in January, he served as a U.S. Senator.

Viewpoint Though Salazar is for the proliferation of offshore drilling, he believes in giving tax breaks reserved for oil companies to renewable energy companies. He voted against a bill that required the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to take global warming into account when building water projects. Salazar voted against increasing fuel efficiency standards in 2005. Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) sees Salazar as a “Western voice” who will support not only Western states but also the Western tribes.