Washington — J. Bonnie Newman, a former college administrator, is expected to be named to the U.S. Senate to replace Judd Gregg, President Obama’s nominee to lead the Commerce Department, according to news reports.

Ms. Newman, a Republican who has worked in the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, would represent New Hampshire through 2010, when Mr. Gregg’s Senate term will expire. The New York Times reported today that advisers to New Hampshire’s governor, John Lynch, a Democrat, said Ms. Newman would be his pick to fill the seat.

Ms. Newman has served as interim president at the University of New Hampshire and was executive dean at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. She is a member of the board of the Lumina Foundation for Education.

John M. Mutz, chairman of Lumina’s board, praised Ms. Newman in an interview this week for her willingness to test and challenge prevailing wisdom.

At the University of New Hampshire, Ms. Newman spoke out in favor of free speech in a case involving a psychology professor who had been chided by the governor for blaming the U.S. government for the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. She and other university officials came to the professor’s defense even though they said they disagreed with his views. —Sara Hebel