Duffy, 53, is a lawyer who represented Wisconsin in the House for nine years after being elected as part of the Tea Party wave in 2010. He served from 2011 until 2019, when he resigned, citing the need to take care of 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 joined Fox News as a contributor in 2020 and has been one of Trump’s most visible defenders in cable news, a major concern of the media-focused president-elect. He was co-host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business until his departure from the network on Monday.

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

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 co-host of “Weekend Fox & Friends.”

A reality TV experience before politics is not unusual in Trump’s world. The former and future president starred in “The Apprentice” before taking office in 2017.

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

When he first ran for Congress, Duffy was widely considered an outsider. He gained national attention for his campaign ads in which he wore a red flannel shirt and cut down trees. He told voters he came from a “long line of lumberjacks” and would bring his ax to Washington.

Duffy is a former lumberjack athlete.