The nation heard President-elect Barack Obama nominate New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as U.S. Commerce Secretary this morning.

But it’ll come as no surprise for anyone paying attention in New Mexico, especially the political class.

Many elected officials will e-mail out congratulatory notes once the nomination is made public today — soon-to-be U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan already did — but they’ve known for some time.

Take, for example, State Sen. Majority Whip Mary Jane Garcia, D-Dona Ana. Garcia said this week she hadn’t talked to the governor recently but she called his office more than a week ago to wish him congratulations on his new job.

A short walk around the state Capitol on a day when one or more legislative hearings are going on confirms that most state lawmakers already are planning on a change in the governor’s office. None wanted to be quoted. But one thing that was nearly universal among them: they all wanted to know why Richardson’s announcement has taken so long.