WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate voted 77-22 Tuesday to confirm Sean Duffy to head the Department of Transportation. Democrats who previously expressed support for Mr. Duffy voted against him Tuesday in protest of President Donald Trump’s freeze on federal grants and loans, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) told CNN.

Mr. Duffy had previously advanced on a procedural vote of 97-0. “I am just so aghast and appalled by this funding freeze,” Sen. Blumenthal said. “I can’t support a nominee for the Transportation Department when he has power over road-building, bridge reconstruction that now is frozen in Connecticut. I’m hearing from officials there who are deeply worried. They can’t pay contractors. They can’t meet payrolls. The president has thrown into chaos and confusion many of the programs under the responsibility of the secretary of transportation, and I need to hear from him a loud and clear protest before I can support him.”

Mr. Duffy served as the U.S. representative for Wisconsin’s 7th congressional district from 2011 to 2019. After resigning from Congress, he became a lobbyist. He first gained fame as a cast member on