Former Secretary of State Scott Gessler and Chief Colorado Deputy Attorney General David Blake are two top names being discussed to fill the U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado vacancy under a Republican Donald Trump administration, ColoradoPolitics has learned.

Sources close to the Trump transition team in Colorado say both would be formidable candidates, but that the transition process has not yet moved on to formally considering filling the vacancy. The transition team is working on other appointments first.

Both Blake and Gessler are seriously considering the opportunity, ColoradoPolitics has confirmed.

A vacancy was left this summer when John Walsh stepped down from the post. Bob Troyer, second in command of the office, became acting U.S. attorney when Walsh vacated the position.

Troyer will remain the acting U.S. attorney until Trump appoints someone new and that person is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, or Troyer resigns. The process could take a year or longer, based on past history.

Blake is perhaps the most serious contender, according to sources familiar with the process. He has a resume to backup his application and he is eager to fill the vacancy.

Before moving to Colorado in 2010, Blake spent 14 years with the U.S. Department of Justice, where he served as a national security lawyer, a special assistant U.S. attorney, a civil litigator and a congressional liaison.

Marijuana policy could be one of the first issues a new U.S. attorney in Colorado is asked to focus on. It’s still unknown how the Trump administration will handle cannabis in states that legalized it, including Colorado.

Trump’s choice for U.S. attorney general, Jeff Sessions, is adamantly opposed to marijuana legalization. Blake, who also passionately opposes legalization, could align with Sessions on a possible crackdown of the burgeoning industry in Colorado.

Immigration is another issue that a new U.S. attorney may be directed to prioritize under a Trump administration. Enforcing illegal immigration could be a challenge for federal prosecutors, as cities like Denver may try to fight a crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

Gessler, who served as secretary of state from 2011 to 2015, repeatedly made illegal immigration an issue while in office, claiming that non-citizens were illegally voting in Colorado elections. He pushed for a law requiring people to show proof of citizenship before voting, though that proposal never received the blessing of Democrats.

Gessler is currently an attorney at his law firm, Klenda Gessler and Blue. He assisted with legal work for the Trump campaign during the election.

Another high-profile name being discussed in Republican circles for the U.S. attorney position is Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler, who, while flattered, doesn’t appear to be interested in the position. He also is mulling a run for governor in 2018.

Well-known Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck attorney Jason Dunn is another name that is mentioned. ColoradoPolitics has confirmed that Dunn is considering the opportunity.

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney for Colorado Rick Hosley is another name that is being circulated to fill the vacancy. Hosley serves as vice president and associate general counsel for DaVita, Inc., the Denver-based provider of kidney care.