Sean Duffy, the former Wisconsin congressman and current Fox Business TV host, has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be next U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
In a statement released Monday afternoon, Trump called Duffy a “tremendous and well-liked public servant” who started his political career as Ashland County’s District attorney.
The former timber sports athlete and star of the Real World reality TV series, was elected to Wisconsin’s 7th U.S. House District during the Republican wave of 2010. He eventually became chairman of the House Financial Services Committee’s housing subcommittee.
Stay informed on the latest news
Sign up for WPR’s email newsletter.
Duffy was reelected four more times, but announced he would resign from office in August 2019. At the time, Duffy said he was doing so in order to focus on his family, but months later he got a job as senior counsel at the Republican-leaning lobbying firm, BGR Group.
In 2022, Trump urged Duffy to run for Wisconsin governor against Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. Duffy declined, despite Trump saying at the time the Republican “would be virtually unbeatable.”
Duffy is now a co-host of the “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business.
Trump’s statement said Duffy will prioritize “excellence, competence and competitiveness and beauty” while rebuilding America’s roads, tunnels and bridges and “will make our skies safe again by eliminating DEI for pilots and air traffic controllers.”
“Sean will use his experience and the relationships he has built over many years in Congress to maintain and rebuild our Nation’s Infrastructure, and fulfill our Mission of ushering in The Golden Age of Travel, focusing on Safety, Efficiency, and Innovation,” Trump’s statement said. “Importantly, he will greatly elevate the Travel Experience for all Americans!”
Duffy was one of Trump’s earliest supporters in Wisconsin. In May 2016, at a time when many in the Wisconsin GOP were still critical of Trump, Duffy was one of the only Republicans to mention Trump by name at the annual state Republican Party Convention.
“I know everybody here didn’t vote for Donald Trump, but most everybody in my district did,” Duffy said at the time. “We’re going to continue to make Wisconsin great, and we’re going to make America great again with Donald Trump.”
As recently as Sunday, Duffy had praised Trump on Fox Business, talking about what he saw as the challenges of running federal agencies.
“My concern is the ‘deep state,’” Duffy said. “In all these agencies that should be working to accomplish the agenda of the duly elected president, they’re going to be working against that agenda.”
Duffy’s nomination is subject to Senate confirmation.
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2024, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
