Ryan Zinke, a former Navy SEAL in the middle of his second term as Montana’s sole congressman, was confirmed as secretary of the interior Wednesday morning on a 68–31 vote. Zinke, who will lead a department that oversees 400 million acres of federal land, has worried environmental advocates by appearing soft toward oil and gas companies.
Montana Governor Steve Bullock will likely call for a special election to name Zinke’s successor sometime this week; the vote will occur 85 to 100 days afterward.
