The Senate voted to confirm Scott Turner as secretary of Housing and Urban Development in a 55-44 vote on Wednesday.
Two Democrats, Sens. John Fetterman and Peter Welch, joined Republicans in voting for Turner.
“He used to not be controversial, or I assumed that that was going to be pretty much a very bipartisan pick, and now the vibes changed, and now [Democrats] are just voting everything down,” Fetterman said after the vote.
In a statement to NOTUS, Aaron White, a spokesperson for Welch, provided only a brief explanation for his vote.
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“Vermont has a housing crisis, and Senator Welch is willing to work across the aisle to get the state the help it needs,” White said.
His confirmation vote takes place as the nation faces an affordable housing crisis acknowledged by both parties and as housing advocates worry that President Donald Trump’s administration will use HUD as a tool to implement his immigration administration goals and cut back on federal housing aid.
Majority Whip John Barrasso said Turner’s past experience leading Trump’s opportunity zone initiative makes him the ideal candidate to lead HUD.
“He is the right man to help restore opportunity now. He’s going to put his experience and his leadership skills to work for the American people, and I strongly support his nomination,” Barrasso said on the Senate floor ahead of the vote.
Turner, a former NFL player who served in the first Trump administration as executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, is a relatively unknown figure among housing advocates. Other Trump cabinet nominees have faced more scrutiny from senators for their past behavior and positions, from Pete Hegseth to Tulsi Gabbard to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Turner, by comparison, had been seen as one of the most likely to go through without issue.
In his confirmation process, Turner said he supported “maximizing” the budget HUD already has.
Democrats on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee had tried making a case against him — they voted against moving him out of committee, arguing that they did not have enough information about him.
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Amelia Benavides-Colón is a NOTUS reporter and an Allbritton Journalism Institute fellow. Emily Kennard contributed reporting.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
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