{mosads}With LaHood’s departure now confirmed, Obama may come under pressure to replace him with a woman. The president has been criticized by Republicans for appointing mostly men to early Cabinet openings.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Deborah Hersman, former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) and former Washington state Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) have been included on a long list of rumored candidates for the DOT job.
White House officials have largely been mum about candidates in the running to replace LaHood.
Obama also has to fill Cabinet posts at the departments of Labor, Commerce, the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency.