Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, said the committee received 44 letters from advocacy and business groups organizations in support of Duffy's nomination. Some of the groups supporting Duffy, according to a list distributed by the committee, are major players in the auto industry.

While some of President-elect Trump's cabinet nominees faced sharp questioning this week, Sean Duffy received a friendly welcome in his confirmation hearing to be secretary of transportation.

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to succeed Pete Buttigieg at the Department of Transportation is promising to treat troubled aerospace firm Boeing (BA) with “tough love.”