'This is the best job I’ve ever had,' LaHood wrote. LaHood announces his exit

It’s official — Ray LaHood announced Tuesday that he will leave his post as secretary of transportation, the latest in a line of Cabinet members to step down following President Barack Obama’s reelection.

President Obama said “every American who travels by air, rail or highway can thank Ray for his commitment to making our entire transportation system safer and stronger.”


The White House declined to specify a timeline for selecting a successor, and names swirling include Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who would bolster the administration’s Hispanic credentials, and NTSB Chairwoman Debbie Hersman, who would give him a female Cabinet pick. Another long-shot candidate could be former Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), who has said he’s interested in the job, though his baggage with the administration may hurt his chances.

Other wild card candidates include former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who may be a bit too much of a straight-talking maverick; and Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio), whose outspoken nature may also hurt his chances.

In a telephone interview, LaHood said that Obama asked him to stay on, but the former Republican congressman said this is “probably the best time for me to leave.” LaHood said he won’t depart until his successor is confirmed, which gives the president some breathing room in selecting a new leader for the Transportation Department at the dawn of his second term.

“He asked me to stay. I’ve given it a lot of thought. The bottom line is I’ve been in public service now for 35 years,” LaHood said. “I believe in going out while they’re applauding. It’s a combination of talking it over with my wife and the fact that this was the right time to go.”

During his tenure, LaHood launched a full-court press to crack down on distracted driving. He also oversaw several significant rulemakings, including those stemming from an FAA reauthorization last year and a 2010 aviation safety bill that mandated many new aviation safety and consumer protections.

Whoever follows LaHood will again have to play point man for the administration on the next transportation bill on a speeded-up timetable, since the current one will expire in 2014. That means hitting the ground running as the debate over how to shore up flagging receipts into the Highway Trust Fund gains momentum.

Any new secretary is likely to face tough scrutiny from Congress, which has been angered by the administration’s refusal to send it formal transportation reauthorization proposals. The White House has also been cagey in deciding how to pay for the bills, declining to identify a specific revenue source other than from defense savings from a “peace dividend.”

The new secretary also will have to finish the push to implement a myriad of rules laid out by MAP-21, the transportation bill enacted last year. And, he or she will inherit several contentious rulemakings that have dragged out, including one that would strengthen pilot training standards and raise the number of hours required to fly a commercial passenger airplane.

In addition to his efforts to craft strict rules on distracted driving, LaHood has played quarterback for the administration’s high speed rail program, even in the face of significant opposition. And, he has been an unwavering booster of the administration’s stimulus spending programs for infrastructure.

LaHood steered the department through a very high-profile series of hearings and congressional scrutiny following the recall of millions of Toyotas over reports of sudden unintended acceleration. LaHood’s personal relationships with lawmakers and his ease at handling the media spotlight helped soothe wounds he’d incurred earlier in his tenure when he spoke too freely.

Soon after he was confirmed, LaHood suggested that a vehicle-miles-traveled fee ought to be considered as a replacement or supplement for the gas tax. But the White House quickly slapped him down, saying the administration didn’t support such a thing.

He also has had to weather other public relations disasters, including an FAA administrator who resigned after having been arrested for allegedly driving drunk and high-profile incidents involving sleeping air traffic controllers.

The former administrator’s case was later dismissed.

Adam Snider contributed to this report.

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 10:20 a.m. on January 29, 2013.