Wisconsin senators weigh in; President-elect Trump's cabinet picks
MILWAUKEE - In 2025, Wisconsin will be one of only two states represented in the U.S. Senate by both a Democrat and a Republican, a third if you factor in Maine, which is represented by a Republican and a Democratic-leaning independent senator.
They'll vote on the future president's cabinet nominations.
There is not much Wisconsin's senators can agree on when it comes to big controversies. But they said similar things about their former Congressional colleague, Sean Duffy.
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Duffy went from reality TV show star to Wisconsin district attorney, to Congressman, to TV host. Now, President-elect Donald Trump said he plans to nominate Duffy to serve in the cabinet as U.S. Transportation Secretary.
"Smart guy, articulate individual, so he’ll be able to advocate for the president," said U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin). "And I don’t see any problem there. I think it’ll be pretty beneficial for Wisconsin. I don’t think we’ll be overlooked by the secretary of the Department of Transportation."
Sean Duffy
If confirmed, Duffy would oversee a department that touches your life, including planes, trains and automobiles.
"It would be great to have somebody from Wisconsin in that role," said U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin). "I think about the bipartisan infrastructure legislation and the number of really important, critical infrastructure projects that we have ongoing in Wisconsin. And to have somebody that’s knowledgeable about our needs in the state, I think would be really helpful."
While Wisconsin's Democratic and Republican senators seem to agree on Duffy, the divisions return when FOX6 News asked about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who President-elect Trump announced as his pick for U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary.
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"Between now and then we’ll have a lot of opportunity to vet him, and then when the hearing itself happens, he’ll be subject to questions from me and from fellow panelists," Baldwin said. "I hope to really hear from him on some of the things, some of the statements he’s made in the past that have concerned me, one of the big things in my mind is that he follow the science and that will be a major factor in my assessment of him."
"So, not a blanket yes or no. Right now, you’re not going to say that you would completely reject his nomination?" asked FOX6's Jason Calvi.
"There’s a reason there’s a whole process being undertaken, that involves vetting and hearings, where we’ll get the chance to ask him questions, pin him down on things that may concern me and may concern some of my colleagues on the committee," Baldwin said.
Former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy; transportation secretary nominee
President-elect Donald Trump said Monday he is naming former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy as his nominee to be transportation secretary.
"What’s interesting is the reaction from Republican and Democratic senators is almost identical: ‘I’m open. I love what he’s doing here. I have questions about that.,’" said Johnson. "And the things they raise are the questions you have. As I have come to know him, and I understand what his true positions are, I think he’ll be able to answer those concerns."
HHS nominees usually face questions from two different committees. The Finance Committee, which right now includes Sen. Johnson, receives the nomination, hosts a hearing and votes on whether to recommend advancing the nominee to the full chamber. The Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which right now includes Sen. Baldwin, hosts a courtesy hearing with the HHS secretary nominee.
One of the picks the senators won't vote on is technology billionaire Elon Musk. President-elect Trump says Musk will be working outside the government to advise on cutting government spending.
"I’m deeply concerned about the potential for conflict there, given that his business enterprises have huge, huge overlap with the federal government, almost every agency, in fact," stated Baldwin.
"I’m excited by the pick," stated Johnson. "Again, we need out-of-the-box, paradigm-shifting type of thinking. We need people from the private sector. Elon can go into X and dramatically change that environment and still have X be fully functioning. It’s that kind of mindset I think we need to bring to the government."
Again, senators won't be voting on Musk.
During President Trump's first year in his first term in the White House, Ballotpedia data revealed Sen. Johnson voted 100% to confirm Trump's cabinet secretaries, while Sen. Baldwin voted to confirm 31% of the picks from that first year, 2017.