Gaetz, a four-term congressman from Florida’s Panhandle, has little experience as a practicing attorney and has carved out a reputation for himself in both Tallahassee and Washington as a right-wing provocateur who’s highly critical of federal agencies and deeply loyal to Trump.

Senators and senators-elect barely had time to elect new leadership on Wednesday, giving South Dakota Sen. John Thune the role of majority leader, before that leadership was put to the test with the prospect of confirming controversial former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., as the next United States attorney general.