US Senate confirms Montana Rep. Zinke as Interior Secretary

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The U.S. Senate has confirmed Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke as Secretary of Interior, making him the first person from the Treasure State to serve in a White House cabinet.

The 55-year-old former Navy Seal from Whitefish will resign his seat as Montana’s only member of the House following Wednesday’s 68-31 vote, setting up a special election.

Zinke was an early supporter of Republican President Donald Trump and shares the new administration’s goal of increased domestic energy production.

He says as Interior Secretary he’ll fight the sale or transfer of keep public lands. Democrats had sought to portray Zinke as a supporter of public land transfers.

Montana Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester supported Zinke’s confirmation. Zinke had been considering a 2018 run against Tester, a two-term Democrat.