Ray LaHood, the Illinois Republican congressman slated to become Transportation Secretary, won’t make traffic jams disappear, eliminate lines at airport security or fix that one pothole you always seem to hit on the commute home.

But commuters are not Ray LaHood’s political base. Reporters are, and fortunately for us, he’s sticking around. LaHood, sometimes at risk to his standing in his party, is not afraid of the consequences of saying what everyone knows but nobody in power wants to say.

For reporters in need of a Republican to express his displeasure with the Bush administration, Congressional leaders or his colleagues, LaHood, a former junior high school teacher turned congressional aide, has been the go-to lawmaker.

LaHood’s propensity to say what everyone else in Washington thinks but won’t say on the record could give the Obama administration a headache. He might become that guy Democrats love when Republicans are in charge and Republicans love when Democrats are in charge.

His willingness to speak up also might adversely effect his close friendship with incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, who likely will be charged with maintaining discipline among cabinet secretaries. If a dead fish ends up on LaHood’s plate in the White House Mess, he will know he’s heading back to Peoria for good.