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Former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano considered a long-shot candidate to replace Eric Holder as attorney general stressed Monday that she plans to stay in her current job for a long time but didnt rule out returning to Washington.

When asked Monday whether she was interested in being Holders successor at the Justice Department, Napolitano chuckled.

Let me put it this way, Napolitano, the current president of the University of California, said in a phone interview. I think Ive got one of the best jobs in public service, and I intend to hold it for a long time.

(Also on POLITICO: Janet Napolitano backs immigration executive action)

She added: I dont speculate on things that I havent been offered. Napolitano also declined to say whether she has been contacted by administration officials on replacing Holder.

Holder announced late last month that he will step down after six years as the nations top law enforcement official. He plans to stay on until his successor is confirmed, although its unclear when that will occur. The White House says it wont announce a nominee until after the midterm elections.

Much of the speculation had centered on three candidates: former White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Solicitor General Don Verrilli. But Ruemmler last week told the White House that she wanted to be withdrawn from consideration.

Napolitano spoke to POLITICO ahead of her speech Monday afternoon at the University of Georgia School of Law, where she planned to detail the internal deliberations around the time the administration announced and implemented the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program the 2012 initiative that shielded hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportations.

Link:
Napolitano on Eric Holder's job