President-elect Donald Trump has named former nine-year Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy as his nominee for transportation secretary.

Duffy is a former reality TV star and co-host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. He is the second Fox-affiliated TV host Trump has named to his Cabinet.

According to the Associated Press, “Trump said Duffy would use his experience and relationships built over the 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. Importantly, he will greatly elevate the Travel Experience for all Americans!'”

Following his stint on reality TV, Duffy worked as a special prosecutor and Ashland County district attorney then was elected to Congress in 2010, according to the AP.

“When he first ran for office, Duffy was largely considered an underdog but attracted national attention for his campaign ads, in which he donned a red flannel shirt and chopped trees,” the AP reports. “He told voters he came from a “long line of lumberjacks” and would bring his axe to Washington.”

If confirmed by the Senate, Duffy would lead the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in regulating automakers, setting fuel economy standards, and perhaps most controversial — in electric vehicle (EV) regulations.

After claiming President Joe Biden and his administration were working to ban gas-powered vehicles and push EVs, Trump seemingly changed course when Tesla CEO Elon Musk began supporting his campaign.

Bloomberg notes that Trump’s administration will aim for the department’s federal infrastructure investment “to look more like what the incoming president and Republican congressional leaders seek.”

“That includes potentially fewer bike lanes, more highway widenings, less federally supported mass transit — or none at all if the policy planners from the Heritage Foundation get their way,” the article states. “Building new airports, a favorite talking point of Trump’s back when he was first president, is poised to gain new attention.”

In his statement announcing the nomination, Trump said Duffy would “prioritize excellence, competence, competitiveness, and beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges and airports” and “will make our skies safe again by eliminating DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] for pilots and air traffic controllers.”

Duffy and his wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy, live in New Jersey with their nine children. Campos-Duffy is a co-host of the Fox & Friends Weekend morning show.

Images

Featured image: Sean Duffy is shown speaking during a 2019 Congressional committee hearing (YouTube screenshot)