| Ray LaHood | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 22, 2009 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | John Porcari |
| Preceded by | Mary Peters |
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| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Michel |
| Succeeded by | Aaron Schock |
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Member of the
Illinois House of Representatives |
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| In office 1982–1983 |
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| Born | December 6, 1945 Peoria, Illinois |
| Ethnicity | Lebanese |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Kathy LaHood |
| Alma mater | Bradley University |
| Profession | Politician, Teacher[1] |
| Religion | Maronite Catholic |
Raymond H. "Ray" LaHood (born December 6, 1945) is the current United States Secretary of Transportation and a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives.
During his service in Congress, he became well-known among C-SPAN viewers, as the presiding officer of more debates than any other member.[2] Most notably, he presided over the impeachment vote against President Bill Clinton.
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LaHood was born in Peoria, Illinois, to Mary A. (née Vogel), who was of German ancestry, and Edward M. LaHood, a Lebanese American who managed a restaurant.[2]He has a residence in East Peoria, Illinois.[3][4].
He graduated from Spalding Institute, worked his way through Canton Junior College and Bradley University in Peoria, earning a bachelors' of science in education and sociology in 1971.[2]
Following graduation, he taught junior high school social studies at public and Catholic schools,[2] and has said that "teaching kids ... about the constitution and government" stirred his interest in politics.[1]
LaHood worked as director of the Rock Island County Youth Services Bureau and then became an administrative assistant for U.S. congressman Tom Railsback. He was appointed to fill a vacant seat in the Illinois House of Representatives in 1982 serving for nine months, but losing the election that fall.[5] LaHood then became an administrative assistant and ultimately the chief of staff to U.S. House minority leader, Robert Michel. When Michel announced his retirement in 1994, LaHood ran and won his seat in the House.[2]
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,[6], and was a member of the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership.
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, choosing to run for another term in Congress instead.[5] He won the 2006 race against against Steve Waterworth[7] by a margin of 147,108 (67%) to 71,106 (33%).[8] On July 26, 2007, LaHood stated he would not seek re-election in 2008 and would retire when his current term expired in January 2009.[9]
In August 2007, LaHood received a 0% rating from the conservative and anti-earmark Club for Growth 2007 RePORK Card.[10] He received an 11% rating from the conservative lobbying group Citizens Against Government Waste in August 2007, and holds a lifetime 49% rating from the group.[11]
In 2007 LaHood was considered for the post of president of his alma mater, Bradley University,[12] however, he decided against applying for the position.[13]
A strong advocate for preserving the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, LaHood authored a law that established the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, which laid the groundwork for celebrating the 16th President's 200th birthday in 2009. He has also been a lead Capitol Hill supporter for the Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Illinois, and is one of 15 members on the ALBC.
On December 19, 2008, President-elect Barack Obama announced that he would nominate Ray LaHood to be the next Transportation Secretary. His résumé on transport matters was seen as thin by critics, including the Wall Street Journal. He served for 14 years on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee[14]. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee he did not work on transportation funding.[15] More worrisome to critics than a lack of transportation experience is LaHood's reputation for pork barrel spending, including spending in support of his campaign contributors. The Washington Post reported that of the $60 million in earmarks LaHood secured for his district in 2008, $9 million went to "campaign donors."[16]
His nomination was confirmed by the Senate by voice vote on January 21, 2009.[17]
On February 3, 2010, LaHood was criticized for advice he gave while testifying before a congressional committee regarding Toyota's recall of 2.3 million vehicles[18] due to sudden acceleration. He told Toyota owners to "stop driving" their cars, but qualified his statement approximately an hour and a half later to "encourage owners of any recalled Toyota models to contact their local dealer and get their vehicles fixed as soon as possible."[19]. According to the New York Daily News, LaHood's initial statement caused shares in Toyota stock, "already battered by the growing recall debacle", to drop 6 percent in value by the end of the trading day.[18]
| Year | Democrat | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | G. Douglas Stephens | 78,332 | 39% | Ray LaHood | 119,838 | 60% | * | ||
| 1996 | Mike Curran | 98,413 | 41% | Ray LaHood | 143,110 | 59% | |||
| 1998 | (no candidate) | Ray LaHood | 158,175 | 100% | * | ||||
| 2000 | Joyce Harant | 85,317 | 33% | Ray LaHood | 173,706 | 67% | |||
| 2002 | (no candidate) | Ray LaHood | 192,567 | 100% | |||||
| 2004 | Steve Waterworth | 91,548 | 30% | Ray LaHood | 216,047 | 70% | |||
| 2006 | Steve Waterworth | 73,052 | 33% | Ray LaHood | 150,194 | 67% |
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mary Peters |
United States Secretary of Transportation Served under: Barack Obama 2009 – present |
Incumbent |
| United States House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by Robert Michel |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 18th congressional district 1995 – 2009 |
Succeeded by Aaron Schock |
| United States order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Shaun Donovan Secretary of Housing and Urban Development |
United States order of precedence Secretary of Transportation |
Succeeded by Steven Chu Secretary of Energy |
| United States presidential line of succession | ||
| Preceded by Shaun Donovan Secretary of Housing and Urban Development |
14th in line Secretary of Transportation |
Succeeded by Steven Chu Secretary of Energy |
APPEARED ON THE BURIED LIFE :)
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   | Elections 2006 - CNN.com - Elections 2006 |
| | The Hill - LaHood staying put - TheHill.com - LaHood stays put |
| | LaHood will not seek re-election - LaHood will not seek re-election: The Swamp |
| | Washington Post - A Setback for Civility - David S. Broder - A Setback For Civility - washingtonpost.com |
| | Fundraising data (2004) - Ray LaHood: Campaign Finance/Money - Summary - Congressman 2004 | OpenSecrets |
| | Voting record maintained by the Washington Post - Ray LaHood | Congress votes database | washingtonpost.com |
| | Project Vote Smart - Representative Ray H. LaHood (IL) - Project Vote Smart - Secretary Ray H. LaHood - Biography |
| | OpenSecrets.org - Ray LaHood - : Campaign Finance/Money - Summary - 2010 | OpenSecrets |
| | On the Issues - Ray LaHood - Ray LaHood on the Issues |
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