THE COMEBACK BEGINS:

Many Arizona Implications if Napolitano Joins Obama Cabinet (Greg Giroux, 11/24/08, Congressional Quarterly)

Arizona does not have a lieutenant governor, so Napolitano’s resignation would elevate Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer, a Republican, to the governor’s office.

It’s very rare for a governor to resign and be replaced by a member of the opposite party. It last occurred 12 years ago in Arkansas, where Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Huckabee advanced to the state’s top executive position after Democratic Gov. Jim Guy Tucker resigned following his conviction on fraud charges.

Huckabee, though, presided over a legislature that was firmly Democratic.

Brewer would have a legislature of her own party to work with.