WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire has withdrawn his nomination for commerce secretary.

In a written statement, Gregg said he is withdrawing because of conflicts with the stimulus package and the census. He said he had talked about those issues with President Barack Obama before he was nominated.

"Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately, we did not adequately focus on these concerns," Gregg said. "We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy."

The issue of the census had raised some concerns among Democrats and Republicans. Gregg, a Republican, had once voted for a plan that would have abolished the agency, which is overseen by the Commerce Department. He also opposed increased funding for the 2000 census.

Democrats said they were concerned about Gregg's commitment to an accurate count, a priority for minority groups who have historically been undercounted. The census is scheduled to be conducted in 2010.

After the White House said the census director would work closely with the White House, some Republicans accused the Obama administration of politicizing the process. The White House later said no change was being made to the chain of command.

"Obviously, the president requires a team that is fully supportive of all his initiatives," Gregg said. "I greatly admire President Obama and know our country will benefit from his leadership, but at this time, I must withdraw my name from consideration for this position."

Gregg said he believes that he will be able to work with Obama on many issues in the future.

Obama nominated Gregg for the post after the withdrawal of former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. Gregg said in his statement that nothing in the vetting process played a role in his decision.
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