Sean Duffy

Last updated

Rachel Campos
​
(m. 1999)​
Sean Duffy
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy Official Portrait.jpg
Official portrait, 2025
20th United States Secretary of Transportation
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 28, 2025
Children9
Relatives Leah Campos (sister-in-law)
Erik Johnson (nephew)
Education

Sean Patrick Duffy (born October 3, 1971) is an American politician, former television presenter, lobbyist, attorney, and lumberjack serving as the United States secretary of transportation. Duffy has additionally served as the acting administrator of NASA since 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the U.S. representative for Wisconsin's seventh congressional district from 2011 to 2019.

Contents

Born in Hayward, Wisconsin, Duffy was a professional lumberjack, competing in the city's Lumberjack World Championship for several years and winning multiple titles in speed climbing. In 1997, he appeared on The Real World: Boston . As a lumberjack, he competed in ESPN's Great Outdoor Games and was a commentator for the games. Duffy graduated from St. Mary's College of Minnesota with a degree in marketing and from the William Mitchell College of Law in 1999. He worked at his father's law practice for two years before serving as a special prosecutor for Ashland County. In 2002, Duffy was appointed by by Wisconsin Governor Scott McCallum as the district attorney of Ashland County, serving in the position until 2010.

In July 2009, Duffy announced that he would challenge Democratic U.S. representative Dave Obey. He defeated Julie Lassa, a Democrat who won the nomination after Obey announced he would not run for re-election, in the 2010 election for Wisconsin's seventh congressional district. Duffy was re-elected in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. Duffy resigned from Congress in September 2019 following his newborn daughter's health complications. After leaving Congress, Duffy worked for the consulting firm BGR Group. He began co-hosting Fox Business's The Bottom Line with Dagen McDowell in 2023. On November 18, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump named Duffy as his nominee for United States secretary of transportation. Duffy was confirmed by the Senate on January 28, 2025. On July 9, 2025, Duffy was also selected as acting administrator of NASA, replacing Janet Petro.

Early life and education (1971–1997)

Sean Patrick Duffy was born on October 3, 1971, [1] in Hayward, Wisconsin. [2] Duffy was the tenth child of Tom and Carol Duffy. [3] He was raised in an Irish American Catholic family, of which several of its members participated in and won Hayward's annual Lumberjack World Championships. [4] Duffy, inspired by his siblings, began logrolling when he was five. [2] He attended Hayward High School, [3] where he played as a defenseman for the school's hockey team. [5] He began speed climbing when he was fifteen. [6] Duffy continued lumberjacking after high school, [7] winning a tree climbing title at the 1993 Mississippi River Log Boom. [8] His speed climbing technique involved reckless movement; Fred Scheer compared Duffy to a "race-car driver who bumps the wall now and then". [9] Duffy was the world champion speed climber at the 1994 Lumberjack World Championship. [10] He graduated from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota with a B.A degree in marketing in 1994 [11] and worked for Scheer's Lumberjack Shows in the summers. [12] By June 1997, The New York Times Magazine considered Duffy one of the top American lumberjacks at that time. [9] He later graduated from the William Mitchell College of Law with a J.D. degree in 1999. [13] Duffy's nephew is Erik Johnson, a defenseman for the Colorado Avalanche and the first overall pick in the 2006 NHL entry draft. [14]

Career

Television and sports work (1997–2004)

In 1997, Duffy auditioned for The Real World: Boston , the sixth iteration of MTV's The Real World set in Boston, Massachusetts, and became a cast member by July. [15] In his audition, Duffy said that he was interested in "cute girls"; his role on the show was described by The New York Times as a "resident playboy". [4] The series completed filming in December, though Duffy would begin filming for Road Rules: All Stars (1998) that month, necessitating him to delay another semester of law school. [16] On the set of Road Rules, he met Rachel Campos. The two married in April 1999 at the Newman Center at Arizona State University located within Old St. Mary's Church; though they planned to wed later that year, Campos's unexpected pregnancy expedited their wedding. [17] The two have nine children together. [4] In 2002, Duffy appeared in and won Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Seasons . He competed in the Great Outdoor Games 's competitions for log rolling in 2000 and 2001 and for speed climbing from 2000 to 2002. In 2003, Duffy was named as a commentator for the Great Outdoor Games. [18] He was named as the honorary athlete for the 2004 Badger State Winter Games. [19] Duffy competed in the speed climbing competition for the Great Outdoor Games in 2005. [6] Additionally, he was a commentator for the mixed doubles Boom Run. [20]

Prosecutor and district attorney (2002–2010)

After graduating from law school in 1999, Duffy worked for his father's practice for two years before becoming a special prosecutor for Ashland County. [11] In June 2002, Wisconsin governor Scott McCallum appointed Duffy as the district attorney of Ashland County following Michael Gableman's resignation. Duffy told The Post-Crescent that he intended to run for a complete term in that year's election. [21] He ran unopposed in that year's election [22] and the 2004 election. [23] Duffy served as a Wisconsin delegate in the 2004 Republican National Convention [23] and the 2004 presidential election. [24] In May 2005, Wisconsin's Federal Nominating Commission forwarded four candidates, including Duffy, to succeed J. B. Van Hollen as the United States attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. [25] Duffy was re-elected in 2006 and 2008. [26] As district attorney, he had a ninety percent conviction rate. [27]

U.S. House of Representatives (2011–2019)

Tenure

Duffy campaigning in May 2010. Ashland Co. DA Sean Duffy (4628377060).jpg
Duffy campaigning in May 2010.

In June 2003, Duffy stated that he was considering challenging representative Dave Obey, who had served as the United States representative for Wisconsin's seventh congressional district since 1969, as a Republican in the 2004 election. [22] In February 2004, he declined to challenge Obey, citing Rachel's expected third child. [28] In July 2009, Duffy indicated he would run for representative. [29] On July 9, at Wausau Homes in Rothschild, [30] Duffy announced that he would challenge Obey in the 2010 election. [31] He later told The New York Times that he decided to challenge Obey, then the chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, over his position in strengthening government, particularly his role in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and healthcare reforms proposed during the Obama administration. [26]

Finance filings released by Duffy's campaign in October revealed that he had accrued relatively fewer donations than Obey, though Duffy had not taken money from political action committees. The achievement made the campaign eligible for the National Republican Congressional Committee's Young Guns program, giving it further funding. [32] The Duffy campaign hit US$300,000 in January 2010, setting a record. [27] Duffy received endorsements from former Alaska governor Sarah Palin [33] and the Seventh Congressional District Republican Party through a caucus it held. [34] In May 2010, Obey announced that he would not be running for re-election. [35] The following day, the Duffy campaign was promoted within the Young Guns program, further unlocking additional financial resources. [36] By that month, Duffy had been expected to advance to the general election. [37] In September, Duffy defeated Dan Mielke in the Republican primary. [38] Duffy defeated Julie Lassa to win the general election in November. [39]

Duffy speaking to Sonny Perdue, the secretary of agriculture, in August 2017. 20170804-OSEC-LSC-0211 (36256155531).jpg
Duffy speaking to Sonny Perdue, the secretary of agriculture, in August 2017.

Duffy spoke at the 2011 Conservative Political Action Conference, focusing his talk on "cutting spending by the spenders". [40] He criticized earmarks in his campaign, though he later expressed a willingness to secure necessary financing. [41] His critics labeled a measure to construct the St. Croix Crossing as an earmark; Duffy disputed that label. [42] Duffy expressed reservations over an effort to repeal sections of the Affordable Care Act, but voted with Republicans amid a reassurance of a replacement from House majority whip Kevin McCarthy. He voted against a bill that would defund NPR, citing his constituent's use of public radio. [43] In June 2011, the Wisconsin State Assembly approved a congressional map that would politically benefit Duffy [44] with the intention of securing his seat. [45] He was re-elected in 2012, [46] 2014, [47] 2016, [48] and 2018. [49]

After being initially sworn in, Duffy was named to the House Committee on Financial Services. [50] In November 2014, he was named as the chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. [51] In October 2015, Duffy was named to the House Select Investigative Panel on Planned Parenthood. [52] A proposed bill by Duffy in July 2011 would have installed a five-member oversight panel to control the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and would have given Congress greater authority to overturn the bureau's regulations. [53] He praised the Budget Control Act to resolve the 2011 debt-ceiling crisis as an act of bipartisanship. [54] In April 2016, he introduced the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act to resolve the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis. [55] Duffy proposed a bill in January 2019 that would have expanded presidential tariff authority. [56] Duffy spoke at the 2012 Republican National Convention—despite an overall lessened prominence from House Republicans at the convention that year, [57] the 2016 Republican National Convention, [58] and the 2020 Republican National Convention. [59] Duffy started Plaidcast (2017–2019) in 2017, among several members of Congress who started a podcast that year. [60]

Resignation

On August 26, 2019, Duffy announced that he would resign over complications involving his ninth child who had not been born yet. His resignation was effective on September 23. [61] Rachel Campos-Duffy gave birth in October. Campos-Duffy stated that the child had "two holes in the heart and valves that need to be fixed", as well as Down syndrome. [62] Duffy's resignation led to a special election; Republican Tom Tiffany won the election, defeating Democrat Tricia Zunker. [63]

Post-government activities (2019–2024)

The Duffys with president Donald Trump in October 2019. Campos-Duffy introduced a book to Donald Trump.jpg
The Duffys with president Donald Trump in October 2019.

In October 2019, CNN hired Duffy as a paid contributor. He faced criticism for defending Donald Trump in a scandal involving a quid pro quo with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and suggesting that a Democratic National Committee server had gone missing in Ukraine. Jeffrey Toobin, a legal contributor to the network, rebuked Duffy for his "anti-immigrant bigotry" after he described the whistleblower Alexander Vindman as loyal to Ukraine. CNN's vice president, Rebecca Kutler, defended Duffy. [64] In November, he joined BGR Group as a senior counsel leading its financial services practice. [65] He was registered to lobby until 2023, when he joined the firm's advisory board, remaining on the board until he was named as Trump's secretary of transportation. Duffy represented various clients, including Enterprise Products and the Partnership for Fair and Open Skies. [66] In 2021, Duffy and his wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy, began a podcast, From the Kitchen Table: The Duffys (2021–2024). [4] He began co-hosting Fox Business's The Bottom Line with Dagen McDowell in 2023. [67]

Secretary of Transportation (2025–present)

Nomination and confirmation

On November 18, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Duffy to serve as U.S. Secretary of Transportation for the second Trump administration. [68] Duffy appeared before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on January 15 2025, with a hearing that focused on aviation safety and infrastructure. Duffy expressed his desire to streamline bureaucratic efforts to advance critical infrastructure projects and to increase the number of air traffic controllers. [69] The U.S. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation voted to advance Duffy's nomination 28–0 on January 22, 2025. [70] The Senate voted to confirm Duffy on January 28, 2025 in a 77–22 vote. Duffy was sworn into office on January 22, 2025 by Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas. [71]

Tenure

On January 28, 2025, Duffy moved to revert corporate average fuel economy standards set by his predecessor, Pete Buttigieg. [72] He issued a directive prioritizing high-birthrate areas—predominantly Republican states—for federal assistance [73] and additionally sought to restrict transportation funding from local governments that do not comply with Trump's immigration policy. [74] The following day, a passenger jet collided with a United States Army helicopter over the Potomac River in Duffy's first crisis. [75] In the aftermath of the incident, Duffy directed the Federal Aviation Administration to restrict two helicopter routes near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. [76] Following the incident, he repeated Trump's assertion that the apparent failure of air traffic controllers to avert the collision was a result of diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring practices. [77] Days later, the Federal Aviation Administration's NOTAM systems experienced a temporary outage, leading to flight delays. [78] The effort to keep air traffic controllers came with a pay increase. [79] Additionally, Duffy continued the Department of Transportation's oversight of Boeing. [80]

On February 19, 2025, Duffy sent a letter to New York governor Kathy Hochul objecting to congestion pricing in New York City and stating his intention to revoke the program's federal approval. [81] His campaign to end the program involved a social media video featuring five men displeased with congestion pricing. [82] Duffy later delayed New York's deadline to end the program hours before it was originally set. [83] By April, the U.S. Department of Transportation had begun to consider other fabrications to pressure New York to end congestion pricing after an agreement with New York transit officials stayed the program. [84] That month, Duffy announced that the federal government would assume control of Pennsylvania Station. [85] In addition, he threatened to withhold federal funding from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority over subway crime, risking the city's US$14 billion effort to improve transit that depends on federal assistance. [86] Duffy cut federal funding for the Texas Central Railway in April [87] and California High-Speed Rail in June. [88]

Duffy meeting with Artemis II astronauts in July 2025 Acting Administrator Sean Duffy Meets with Artemis II Astronauts (NHQ202507300002).jpg
Duffy meeting with Artemis II astronauts in July 2025

On May 2, Duffy eliminated $54 million in university research grants that he considered "woke" and "wasteful and divisive." [89]

On July 1, 2025, Duffy directed state governors to remove non-standard and distracting road markings from roadways, intersections, and crosswalks. Duffy stated that road markings must be standardized for safety, and should not be used for political or artistic messaging. He issued the directive under the Federal Highway Administration's "SAFE ROADS" initiative, which focuses on reducing traffic fatalities on arterial roads. [90]

On July 9, 2025, President Trump named Duffy as the acting administrator of NASA, succeeding acting administrator Janet Petro. [91]

Political positions

Domestic issues

Duffy has rejected being a member of the Tea Party movement, though he has praised the movement and an associated figure, the conservative political commentator Glenn Beck. [92] In an op-ed for The Washington Times a year after the passage of the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, he critically reviewed its impact as "woefully under-delivered". [93] Duffy has criticized the federal government's response to climate change as an "agenda of control" and has questioned the scientific consensus of climate change. [94]

In September 2025, Duffy publicly blamed Charlotte city officials for the killing of Iryna Zarutska. [95]

Aviation policy

At the Paris Air Show in June 2025, Duffy called for free trade in aerospace. [96]

Bibliography

In December 2021, Duffy co-authored All American Christmas with his wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy. [97]

Electoral history

2010

2010 United States House of Representatives Republican primary for Wisconsin's seventh congressional district [98]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Sean Duffy 41,032 66.1
Republican Dan Mielke21,10033.9
Total votes62,132 100.0
2010 United States House of Representatives election for Wisconsin's seventh congressional district [99]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Sean Duffy 132,551 52.2
Democratic Julie Lassa 113,01844.5
Independent Gary Kauther8,3973.3
Total votes253,966 100.0

2012

2010 United States House of Representatives election for Wisconsin's seventh congressional district [100]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Sean Duffy 201,318 56.1
Democratic Pat Kreitlow 157,34043.9
Total votes358,658 100.0

2014

2014 United States House of Representatives Republican primary for Wisconsin's seventh congressional district [101]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Sean Duffy 26,062 87.9
Republican Don Raihala3,57412.1
Total votes29,636 100.0
2014 United States House of Representatives election for Wisconsin's seventh congressional district [102]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Sean Duffy 169,451 59.2
Democratic Kelly Westlund112,89539.5
Independent Lawrence Dale3,6611.3
Total votes286,007 100.0

2016

2016 United States House of Representatives election for Wisconsin's seventh congressional district [48]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Sean Duffy 223,418 61.7
Democratic Mary Hoeft138,64338.3
Total votes362,061 100.0

2018

2018 United States House of Representatives election for Wisconsin's seventh congressional district [103]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Sean Duffy 194,061 60.1
Democratic Margaret Engebretson112,89538.5
Independent Ken Driessen3,6611.4
Total votes322,784 100.0

References

  1. ↑ "Meet the Candidates". Merrill Foto News.
  2. 1 2 "Timber events a family affair for the Duffys". ESPN.
  3. 1 2 Boettcher 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Kitchener 2025.
  5. ↑ "Second period woes down MHS pucksters". The Dunn County News.
  6. 1 2 "Day 1: Final thoughts". ESPN.
  7. ↑ Jacobson 1990.
  8. ↑ "Log Boom Results". La Crosse Tribune.
  9. 1 2 "Abs-Fab Lumberjacks". The New York Times Magazine.
  10. ↑ Johnson 1994.
  11. 1 2 Foody 2010b.
  12. ↑ "Speed Pole Climbing". La Crosse Tribune.
  13. ↑ Andrea, Bentley & Groth 2025.
  14. ↑ Dater 2016.
  15. ↑ Mehren 1997.
  16. ↑ "Real world vs. 'Real World'". The Boston Globe.
  17. ↑ Tropiano 1999.
  18. ↑ "Games commentators announced". ESPN.
  19. ↑ "Digest". Wisconsin State Journal.
  20. ↑ Osborne & Nolan 2004.
  21. ↑ "Prosecutor named Ashland County DA". The Post-Crescent.
  22. 1 2 Christopher 2003.
  23. 1 2 Ross 2004.
  24. ↑ "Wisconsin Electors". Wisconsin State Journal.
  25. ↑ Marcus 2005.
  26. 1 2 Zeleny & Nagourney 2010.
  27. 1 2 "DA's fundraising tops $300K in bid against Obey". Superior Telegram.
  28. ↑ "Attorney won't challenge Obey, citing family job". Wausau Daily Herald.
  29. ↑ Mentzner 2009.
  30. ↑ Reisinger 2009.
  31. ↑ Abrahamson 2009.
  32. ↑ Bivins 2009.
  33. ↑ Burns 2010.
  34. ↑ "DA endorsed for run against Obey". Leader-Telegram.
  35. ↑ Rogers 2010.
  36. ↑ Becker 2010.
  37. ↑ Kraushaar 2010.
  38. ↑ Beltrone & Isenstadt 2010.
  39. ↑ Foody 2010a.
  40. ↑ Cogan 2011a.
  41. ↑ Steinhauer 2011.
  42. ↑ Nixon 2011.
  43. ↑ Draper 2011.
  44. ↑ Marley 2011.
  45. ↑ Gilbert 2011.
  46. ↑ Gilbert 2012.
  47. ↑ Pérez-Peña 2014.
  48. 1 2 "Wisconsin U.S. House 7th District Results: Sean P. Duffy Wins". The New York Times.
  49. ↑ Kaeding 2018.
  50. ↑ Isenstadt 2011.
  51. ↑ Hertel 2014.
  52. ↑ Kane 2015.
  53. ↑ Kim 2011.
  54. ↑ Cogan 2011b.
  55. ↑ Walsh 2016.
  56. ↑ Tankersley 2019.
  57. ↑ Weisman 2012.
  58. ↑ Peters 2016.
  59. ↑ Baker et al. 2020.
  60. ↑ Hess 2017.
  61. ↑ Sherman 2019.
  62. ↑ Juneau 2019.
  63. ↑ Itkowitz 2020.
  64. ↑ Calderone 2019.
  65. ↑ Meyer 2019.
  66. ↑ Oprysko 2024.
  67. ↑ Johnson 2022.
  68. ↑ Walker 2024.
  69. ↑ Walker & Kelly 2025.
  70. ↑ Timotija 2025.
  71. ↑ Luczak 2025.
  72. ↑ Walker 2025a.
  73. ↑ Ngo & DePillis 2025.
  74. ↑ Badger 2025.
  75. ↑ Telford 2025.
  76. ↑ Kelly, Ismay & Walker 2025.
  77. ↑ Kim 2025.
  78. ↑ Lotz 2025.
  79. ↑ Walker 2025b.
  80. ↑ Walker 2025c.
  81. ↑ Reisman & Rivard 2025.
  82. ↑ Hu 2025.
  83. ↑ Chen & Hu 2025.
  84. ↑ Dolmetsch & Kaske 2025.
  85. ↑ Chen & McGeehan 2025.
  86. ↑ Chen 2025.
  87. ↑ Fechter 2025.
  88. ↑ Shalby 2025.
  89. ↑ "Transportation Research Centers Lose Key Federal Funding". www.planetizen.com. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  90. ↑ https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-governors-roads-are-safety-not-politics
  91. ↑ Jeong 2025.
  92. ↑ Hunt 2012.
  93. ↑ White 2011.
  94. ↑ Friedman 2024.
  95. ↑ Muccigrosso, Catherine; Bergeron, Josh (September 7, 2025). "Deadly light rail stabbing in Charlotte grows political under national spotlight". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  96. ↑ Chokshi & Alderman 2025.
  97. ↑ Egan 2021.
  98. ↑ "Wisconsin Primary Results". The New York Times.
  99. ↑ "Wisconsin Election Results". The New York Times (2010).
  100. ↑ "Wisconsin Election Results". The New York Times (2012).
  101. ↑ "Wisconsin Primary Election Results". The New York Times.
  102. ↑ "House Election Results". The New York Times.
  103. ↑ "Wisconsin Election Results: Seventh House District". The New York Times.

Works cited

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 7th congressional district
2011–2019		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by United States Secretary of Transportation
2025–present		Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded byas Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Order of precedence of the United States
as Secretary of Transportation		Succeeded byas Secretary of Energy
U.S. presidential line of succession
Preceded byas Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 14th in line
as Secretary of Transportation		Succeeded byas Secretary of Energy
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