WASHINGTON — Sean Duffy, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to head the Department of Transportation, represented northwest Wisconsin in Congress from 2011 to 2019 before he gave up the seat to help care for an ill child. He was succeeded by another Republican, Tom Tiffany.
“I'm just really looking forward to having someone with Wisconsin common sense in the Trump cabinet,” Tiffany said.
Duffy served on the House Budget, Financial Services, and Joint Economic committees. If confirmed by the Senate, Duffy would oversee regulation of the nation’s railroads and airlines, and the funding of airports, bridges, mass transit and the interstate highway system.
“Experience can be important,” Tiffany said. "But the most important thing is judgment, and I just think with good common sense that Sean has, he'll bring good judgment to those decisions that need to be made at the Department of Transportation.”
Mark Pocan, a Democrat from Madison, expressed skepticism about Duffy’s fitness for the role.
“I'm sure he's had experience driving in a car or riding on a plane, and maybe he had a little toy train as a child, but that wasn't his expertise in Congress,” Pocan said. “So, I think we'll see what happens in the hearings and how he might be adding to the value of transportation discussion nationally.”
In his nomination letter, Trump praised Duffy’s efforts supporting the construction of St. Croix River Bridge that connects Wisconsin and Minnesota. At the time, Duffy said he was proud to be part of a project that brought together Republicans and Democrats, Vikings and Packers fans.
“I've used that bridge more than a few times, referred to as the Stillwater Bridge by many of us,” Tiffany said. “And he helped make that happen, because there were actually significant delays. The Sierra Club fought that bridge tooth and nail, and Sean was able to reach across the aisle and help make it happen.”
Tiffany hopes to see Duffy work on some other Wisconsin-specific issues when he comes back to Washington.
“There's a weight issue in regards to forest products on the interstate that will help alleviate heavy trucks going on local roads that really should be traveling on the interstate, which can handle those weights,” Tiffany said. “So it's a bit of an arcane issue, but it's really important for industry, including the forest products industry.”
Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, said he had problems sleeping on Monday evening because he was so excited about Duffy’s nomination.
“I was the guy in the SEAL teams that, when my friends got promoted and I didn't, I was probably more excited for them than they were, just because I love to see good people succeed,” Van Orden said. “I've known Sean since way before I was in politics, because my wife and I owned a small cafe in northern Wisconsin, and his staff and Sean used to stop into our village, and I would cook for them, so we got to know each other… He's a family guy. He's super smart. He was really effective up here.”
Scott Fitzgerald, R-Junea, said he’s “very pleased” with Trump’s pick.
“Sean Duffy not only was an awesome member of Congress for nine years, but also, I think he’s in that type of district where he was engaged in a lot of the discussions that were in and around transportation when he was a member, so I think he’s going to do a fantastic job… I usually don’t predict what the U.S. Senate is going to do, but I think he’s going to sail right through.”
Duffy is the second Fox News host nominated by Trump for his cabinet. But unlike Trump’s pick of Pete Hegseth to serve as defense secretary, Duffy is expected to easily win Senate confirmation early next year.