Who is Ray LaHood?

Ray who? The new transportation secretary, apparently. He's a retiring representative from Illinois, a 'moderate' Republican. Transportation isn't really his big thing.

From the little we do know, he seems to be a mixed bag. He has broken with his party on Amtrak funding; but in 2004 he opposed funding for high-speed rail improvements in his own state. And apparently he likes rail-trails, and running on them.