WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump stunned Senate Republicans Wednesday announcement He said he would nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., for attorney general.

Gaetz, a Trump loyalist known for rabble-rousing in Congress, will need a Senate majority to be confirmed as the nation’s top law enforcement official. Republicans will have the majority There will be 52 or 53 seats starting Jan. 3, depending on the outcome of the Pennsylvania Senate race. That means Gaetz won’t have a huge margin for error, assuming all Democrats are against him.

Some Senate Republicans said the process would not go smoothly.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said it would be a “significant challenge” for Gaetz to garner enough votes to be confirmed.

“I don’t think this is a serious candidacy for attorney general. That’s Lisa Murkowski’s opinion,” Murkowski said. “We need a serious attorney general. And I look forward to the opportunity to consider someone serious. This wasn’t on my bingo card.”

“He has his work cut out for him,” said Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who sits on the Judiciary Committee overseeing the nomination, said the Senate “must take the president’s nominee seriously, but we also have a constitutional responsibility.”

“I don’t know the man other than this public persona,” Cornyn told reporters.

Gaetz’s condition was asked Investigated by the House Ethics Committee Cornyn responded with surprise over the sexual harassment allegations: “Well, that might come up.”

“I don’t know if there is any basis for this,” he added. “So yeah, I’m sure we’ll be asking a lot of questions.”

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who also sits on the Judiciary Committee, said the Senate would give Gaetz an “honest look” and investigations about him It will be “part of the process.”

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, sounded skeptical.

“Of course, the president has the right to nominate whomever he wishes, but I’m sure many questions will arise,” he said.

Collins said the ethics investigation will be one of the issues that will be brought up because, as I understand it, there is an active investigation by the House Ethics Committee.

Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-D., said the chances of Gaetz being confirmed are “a long shot,” adding that it’s “very possible” Trump will test the limits of how far he can push the Senate.

Other Senate Republicans declined to comment on Trump’s latest Cabinet pick.

“I don’t have anything to give you on that,” said Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala.

But some GOP senators appeared open to the possibility of Gaetz.

“The president will pick his own nominees,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., without saying how he would vote.

Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) did not comment directly on Gaetz but said he “looks forward to receiving President Trump’s nominees after hearing their plans for the departments.”

Asked if that meant he would vote yes, he said, “Everyone has to go through committee hearings, but we want to work to confirm President Trump’s nominees.”

‘You can record me as silent’

Senate Democrats were also stunned.

D-Del., D-Del., on the Judiciary Committee. “You can register me as speechless,” said Sen. Chris Coons.

“This was in The Onion, right?” said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt.

Added outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin, IW.Va.: “I just heard the news. Even I can’t believe it.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a member of the Judiciary Committee, said Gaetz lacks basic qualifications for the job.

“He’s going to have a lot of problems in the Senate,” Blumenthal said. “I think this candidacy will be the first big test of whether they are willing to stand up to Donald Trump. And we’ll find out soon.”

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., laughed and called Gaetz’s choice “God-level trolling” to “own the libs forever.”

“Obviously it’s not serious,” he said. “Nobody will approve of it. And I definitely won’t go crazy.

House Republicans react to election

As Trump’s social media post announcing the election circulated, Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, said the reaction in the chamber of House Republicans was: “Oh my God.”

When asked if Gaetz had the character to be attorney general, Simpson said: “Are you kidding me?”

“No,” he said, and called on the House Ethics Committee to immediately release its report on Gaetz.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said he was concerned The GOP majority is already slim This ratio is weakening further as a result of Trump assigning many lawmakers to administrative work.

“We met with President Trump and said, ‘Please no more members of the House after Matt Gaetz,'” Scalise said.

Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, called the election “stupid.”

“I believe the president probably rewarded him for being such a loyal soldier to the president,” he said. “But the president is smart enough and his team is smart enough to know that Mr. Gaetz will never be confirmed by the Senate.”