Identity politics in the Democratic Party are already presenting challenges to President-elect Barack Obama, who is under pressure to appoint Hispanics and African-Americans to key posts in his administration.

Both groups were crucial to Obama’s victory last week over Republican John McCain. Ninety-six percent of African-American voters cast ballots for Obama, while 67 percent of Hispanic voters supported him, according to exit polls.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Hispanic who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination but later endorsed Obama, should be secretary of State, a coalition of 35 Hispanic groups said in a Nov. 11 letter to the president-elect obtained by The Hill.

“Richardson is not only a leader in the Latino community in this country but he has also become a well-respected international figure widely known for his strong commitment to international diplomacy, promoting democracy and protecting civil and human rights,” said the letter from the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), which includes The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the National Council of La Raza.  Richardson could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

The letter did not allude directly to the role Hispanic voters played in helping Obama win states such as Florida, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada, all of which went to President Bush four years ago. But it did congratulate Obama on his “historic and decisive victory” in the election.

Hilary Shelton, the director of the NAACP’s Washington bureau, has called on Obama to appoint a Cabinet with more diversity than the Cabinets of Presidents Bush and Clinton. Shelton has also called for an African-American to fill Obama’s Senate seat, a decision over which the incoming president is expected to have much influence.

“It is our hope that Barack Obama chooses a Cabinet that is reflective of the diversity of the country, with African-Americans, Hispanics and Asian-Americans,” said Shelton.

Shelton noted that Bush and Clinton tapped African-Americans and Hispanics to fill their Cabinets and said he “absolutely” would like to see Obama exceed their examples.

“We do think racial diversity is tremendously important,” he said.

Shelton also urged that an African-American be selected to take Obama’s Senate seat.

“We strongly believe the Senate should be much more integrated,” said Shelton. Obama is the only African-American member of the Senate, and only the third since Reconstruction.

“Gov. [Rod] Blagojevich [D] should choose someone who is consistent with the will of the people who elected Obama, someone who represents the values and priorities that Obama ran on when he was elected to the U.S. Senate,” Shelton said.

While Blagojevich will make the two-year temporary appointment, Illinois political insiders say that Obama will have significant influence over the decision.

Two members of the Congressional Black Caucus are vying for the seat: Reps. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) and Danny Davis (D-Ill.).