LaHood: 'One person in Florida' didn't want high-speed rail

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Monday that Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s (R) objections were not indicative of residents' opinion about fast trains in the rest of the state.
 
"There are thousands of people that have been working on high-speed rail in Florida for 20 years and they are deeply disappointed that one guy decided they weren't going to accept the second largest amount of money," LaHood said during an MSBNC interview.
 
"This is one guy only, and eventually Florida will get in the high-speed rail business," LaHood said.

On Monday, LaHood announced high-speed rail grants to 15 states, awarding $2.02 billion of the $2.4 billion offered to and rejected by Florida to 22 projects in those states, most of which are located in the Northeast and Midwest. California also received funds.
 
LaHood, a former Republican congressman, took pains to note that one of the states awarded federal money Monday was led by a Republican governor. 
 
"Michigan has a Republican governor," he said. "Gov. (Rick) Snyder and I are going to stand up and say the state of Michigan under a Republican governor will accept money for the line between Detroit and Chicago."