LaHood to be transportation secretary

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Ill., is climbing aboard the Obama express, agreeing to serve as transportation secretary, unnamed Democratic officials said Wednesday.

Two unnamed senior Democratic officials told The Washington Post that LaHood, a moderate Republican, has accepted President-elect Barack Obama's job offer. The official nomination is expected in the coming days, the newspaper said.

The congressman's selection further develops two themes of Obama's Cabinet-selection process -- picking candidates from his home turf and showing a willingness to bring on board former opponents and crossing party lines.

LaHood, 63, is retiring from Congress, where he has served since 1995. He will join another Republican, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, in Obama's Democratic administration.

Obama also has dipped into Illinois' talent pool before, selecting Chicago educator Arne Duncan as his education secretary and Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel, who will be his chief of staff.