Transportation is a fine place for a republican.
CNN: President-elect Barack Obama on Wednesday picked Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Illinois, to be his transportation secretary, two sources tell CNN.
Obama will formally announce his choice of LaHood, a seven-term congressman from Peoria, at a press conference in Chicago on Thursday morning, the sources said.
LaHood is well-respected by Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill.
One of LaHood's closest friends in Congress, fellow Illinois Republican Tim Johnson, said LaHood "has the ability to work both sides of the aisle well" and called him "an extraordinarily talented legislator."
LaHood is good friends with Rahm Emanuel, chief of staff:
Peoria Star: The 63-year-old has remained non-committal on his plans after retiring from Congress, but has said he's young enough to mount a second career. He told the Journal Star he was exploring options both in Washington, D.C., and in Illinois.
Since LaHood is close with Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, and Obama wanted a congressional liaison who dealt with Republicans, the Journal Star recently asked LaHood if he was being tapped for any jobs in the incoming administration.
'I don't want to speculate on that,' LaHood said earlier this month. 'I think it would be presumptuous of me to speculate on that kind of thing.
'Rahm Emanuel and I are very good friends. He and I had six or seven bipartisan dinners this year that I invited some Republicans and he invited some Democrats. … Sen. Obama and I worked very closely together when we were putting the transportation bill together a couple of years ago,' LaHood said then. 'I think I have a great relationship with both of them.'
LaHood's voting record
Ray LaHood taught the constitution to 8th graders:
