'Harder' for Obama to Win Colorado in 2012, Says Salazarbr The Christian Science Monitor - St. Regis Hotelbr On Wednesday, October 5, 2011, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar joined the Monitor Breakfast for a conversation with reporters.br br Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez (R-Florida) were the first Hispanic U.S. Senators since 1977; they were joined by Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey) in January 2006. Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate, he served as Attorney General of Colorado from 1999 to 2005.