Gov. Ted Strickland is praising President Barack Obama's nomination yesterday of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to be the next secretary of Health and Human Services as "one of our own."

Sebelius is the daughter of former Ohio Gov. John J. Gilligan. They are the only father-daughter governors in U.S. history.

"Kathleen spent much of her young life here in Ohio, and we consider her one of our own," Strickland said in a statement. "I know that her enthusiasm for meaningful health-care reform will benefit Ohio and the nation."

Obama initially had named former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle as the cabinet member to oversee his overhaul of the nation's health-care system. Daschle withdrew his nomination because of a controversy over unpaid taxes.

Strickland said Obama's selection of Sebelius "demonstrates his strong commitment to providing more Americans with access to affordable health care."

Sebelius, 60, served eight years in the Kansas House and two terms as insurance commissioner before running for governor in 2002. She was re-elected to a second term in 2006. She has spoken several times to Ohio Democrats, both here and during their national convention last year in Denver.

-- Mark Niquette mniquette@dispatch.com