Know Your Obama Underlings, Part 4

Editor's Note: This is another installment in the Rapier's daily profiles of one of Barack Obama's nominees to a cabinet or high-level administration post.
Today's Profile
Secretary of Transportation:Raymond H. "Ray" LaHood
Born December 6, 1945. LaHood is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1995, representing the downstate 18th district of Illinois.

He is well-known, especially among C-SPAN viewers, as the presiding officer of more debates than any other member. Most notably, he presided over the impeachment vote against President Bill Clinton. LaHood was born in Peoria, Illinois. He was educated at Bradley University in Peoria, from which he earned a degree in education. He was a high school teacher, and an aide to Representatives Tom Railsback and Robert Michel before running for office himself. LaHood served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives for one term between 1982 and 1983. He is of Jordanian and Lebanese descent.

Elected as part of the Republican Revolution of 1994, he was one of only three Republican candidates who did not sign on to the Contract with America, Newt Gingrich's manifesto for a Republican majority. LaHood was said to be considering a challenge to Governor Rod Blagojevich's re-election bid in 2006, but on August 18, 2005 he ruled out a run, saying few outside his district knew him.

LaHood received a 0% rating from the conservative and anti-earmark Club for Growth 2007 RePORK Card. He received an 11% rating from Citizens Against Government Waste for 2007 and holds a lifetime 49% rating from the group. Lahood's son, Sam Lahood, worked on John McCain's presidential campaign in 2008.
LaHood is one of two Republican members of President-elect Barack Obama's Cabinet (along with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who is a registered independent but has publicly referred to himself as a Republican).

LaHood's resume on transport matters is seen as thin by some critics. He does not currently serve on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, although he has in the past. While picking LaHood drew praise for its bipartisan symbolism there was also a sense that LaHood’s lack of expertise would diminish the department’s role in 2009 major policy debates and leave him as more of a ceremonial figure. James Oberstar, the Democratic Congressman who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is expected to hold more influence and will likely play a stronger leading role. Oberstar praised LaHood’s “temperament” and “managerial talent,” but when asked to cite an issue LaHood championed during his time on the Transportation Committee in the 1990s, Oberstar seemingly drew a blank. “I can’t point to any specific legislation that he authored,” he said. “He was a team player all the way through.”