LANDER - Now that Democrat Barack Obama will be the next U.S. president, should he tap the popular Wyoming governor, Dave Freudenthal, for his Cabinet?

U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., on Wednesday called on the president-elect to choose a Westerner as a senior-level official, and suggested Obama consider Freudenthal as secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Salazar, who helped deliver Colorado's nine electoral votes for Obama, also suggested Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer for the same position. He recommended New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson for secretary of state and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano as attorney general.

"He will be looking for the best of talent, and we have our share of talent here in the West," Salazar told The Associated Press.

But Freudenthal, who has often deflected such speculation, offered more of the same when asked about Salazar's latest pitch.

"This is the first I've heard of this, and it's certainly flattering, but I already have a job," Freudenthal said, according to his press secretary, Cara Eastwood.

In some ways, Freudenthal fits perfectly the usual profile of the Interior secretary, said Jim King, head of the University of Wyoming's Political Science Department.

"Typically the Interior secretary does come from the West; many have been governors," King said. "If you were going to draw up a job profile based on prior experience, he'd certainly fit it."

The Interior secretary, who ultimately oversees much of the nation's public lands, needs to work with state officials, particularly in the West, which Freudenthal has experience doing, King said.

"He has done that, he has worked with Western governors, and you would expect he'd have the knowledge background on many of the issues the Interior Department has to deal with," King said.

At the same time, Freudenthal might have many reasons to remain in Wyoming, some of them political, King said.

"One of the considerations might be, if he leaves the governorship at this point it would go to (Republican Secretary of State Max Maxfield), and he may feel he wants to finish his term rather than turn the office over to another party," King said. "And it could also be he doesn't have ambition for national office. He may not be interested in moving on; it may be as simple as that."

Freudenthal endorsed Obama for president and campaigned for him in Pennsylvania. But the governor also has had several tussles with the Department of the Interior over the years, including battles over endangered species, Wyoming's wolf management plan, the federal protection status of the Preble's meadow jumping mouse and oil and gas development.

Nearly half of Wyoming is owned and managed by the federal government, mostly in the form of national parks, national forests and Bureau of Land Management areas. Because of this - as is the case in most Western states - Wyoming's state and local governments must often collaborate, negotiate and battle with the federal government over land management decisions.

Bruce Hinchey, president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, said he hopes Freudenthal stays in the Cowboy State.

"I think Freudenthal would do a good job no matter what job he's in," Hinchey said. "But I think it's more important to be running the state of Wyoming, and he's done a great job here, and he understands our industry. I'd hate to see him go."

Erik Molvar is a wildlife biologist with the Biodiversity Conservation Alliance in Laramie. He said he'd also prefer Freudenthal didn't become Interior secretary, but for different reasons.

The Interior secretary oversees endangered species listing and delisting, Molvar said. Since the governor has "launched lawsuits" in the past against the federal government for listing certain species in Wyoming as endangered, Molvar would be "very concerned" about how Freudenthal would administer the department's application of the federal Endangered Species Act, he said.

"He might make an admirable choice for secretary of energy and attorney general, however," Molvar said.

Obama announced his choice of Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel as White House chief of staff on Wednesday, but he gave no indications about potential Cabinet-level appointees.

Reporter Chris Merrill can be reached at chris.merrill@trib.com or at (307) 267-6722.