Ray LaHood backs Biden for president

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary and former Republican Rep. Ray LaHood (Ill.) reportedly said he is backing former Vice President Joe Biden in the presidential race.

LaHood told The State Journal-Register he would “absolutely not” vote for President Trump, adding that he’s backing Biden. 

He said Trump is not his “kind of politician” and called out the president for “the way he disparages people.” 

“I have met every president since Nixon,” LaHood told The State Journal-Register. “Although I haven’t agreed with every one of them on every issue, each one of those people, except for Nixon, distinguished themselves in a way that made our country proud. … And this president has not done that.”

His son, however, Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) is an honorary co-chairman of the Trump campaign in Illinois. 

Ray Lahood served as a House Republican from 1995 to 2009. He later served under former President Barack Obama, a Democrat, as transportation secretary from 2009 to 2013. 

“I love my son,” Ray LaHood told the newspaper. “I think he’s done a fantastic job … probably a better job than I did. And I’m very proud of him.”

He added that he plans to vote in the GOP primary so that he can vote for his son but said he would probably leave the presidential race blank on the ballot. 

Trump reportedly faces the little-known candidates John Schiess and Rocky De La Fuente on the Illinois primary ballot. 

A spokesperson for the Biden campaign was not immediately available for comment.