What to know about Sean Duffy, Trump’s choice to become transportation secretary

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Sean Duffy to become transportation secretary in his new administration, positioning him to oversee a complex system that includes pipelines, railroads, cars, trucks, airlines and mass transit systems, as well as funding for highways.

Here are some things to know about Duffy.

He is a former member of Congress

Duffy, 53, is an attorney who represented Wisconsin in the House for nine years after he was elected as part of the tea party wave in 2010. He served from 2011 to 2019, when he resigned, citing a need to care for his large family. In the House, Duffy was a member of the House Financial Services Committee and chairman of its subcommittee on housing and insurance.

Duffy is the second Fox-affiliated host to be tapped by Trump

Duffy joined Fox News as a contributor in 2020 and has been one of Trump’s most visible defenders on cable news, a prime concern for the media-focused president-elect. He served as co-host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business until leaving the network Monday.

Trump announced last week Pete Hegseth, a co-host of “Fox and Friends Weekend,” as his pick for defense secretary.

Like Trump, Duffy is a former reality TV star

Duffy was featured on MTV’s “The Real World: Boston” in 1997. He and his wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy, met on the set of MTV’s “Road Rules: All Stars” in 1998. Campos-Duffy is a co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

A reality television background before politics is not unusual in Trump’s world. The former and future president starred in “ The Apprentice ” before he took office in 2017.

He declined to run for governor of Wisconsin

Duffy in 2022 ruled out a run for Wisconsin governor despite pleas from Trump to make a bid. Duffy said he needed to care for his nine children, including his youngest child who had a heart condition.

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

Duffy is a former lumberjack athlete.