From ‘The Real World’ to Cabinet Room, Trump’s Transportation Nominee Sean Duffy Has Smooth Ride Ahead

Sean Duffy gained fame on MTV’s The Real World, in Congress, and as a Fox News personality. His next stop is likely the Department of Transportation.

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Transportation charmed Senators Wednesday during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, signaling Duffy is on a glide path towards confirmation.

The hearing, which lasted just over three hours, steered clear of partisan politics, instead covering a mix of parochial infrastructure priorities and evergreen transportation policies.

Many Senators simply wanted an assurance from Duffy to visit their states as Secretary. Duffy was happy to oblige, committing to honor an invitation to Alaska from Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), as well as Southeast states struck last year by hurricanes.

Duffy’s large telegenic family, appearing behind the nominee throughout the hearing, got plenty of coverage during the congenial hearings as well. Duffy’s wife, Fox News’s Rachel Campos-Duffy, and eight of the couple’s nine children were ever-present sitting in the chamber behind Duffy.

In a sign of Duffy’s bipartisan appeal, his home state Senators, Republican Ron Johnson and Democrat Tammy Baldwin, introduced him.

“Sean will be a strong and dedicated leader of the Department of Transportation, prioritizing safety and investing in infrastructure projects that connect our communities,” Johnson told the committee, recommending Duffy’s confirmation.

“No federal agency impacts Americans’ daily lives and loved ones like the Department of Transportation,” Duffy told the committee, vowing to make increasing safety his priority. His wife Rachel is a survivor of a deadly head-on automobile collision.

The hearing was not devoid of substance. Several Senators asked Duffy to support public transportation, including passenger rail. And Duffy insisted that operators of electric vehicles which do not pay a gas tax should pay some sort of fee to maintain the highway program.

The Senate is likely to prioritize Trump’s national security nominees first, particularly since Democrats are unlikely to agree to a timeline that could expedite those critical positions. But if today’s hearing is an indication, Duffy will have a clear road to confirmation.

Bradley Jaye is Deputy Political Editor for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter and Instagram @BradleyAJaye.