Maine Sen. Susan Collins told media outlets Wednesday that she is “shocked” by President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as attorney general.

Gaetz is a Trump loyalist who has vowed to overhaul the Justice Department. He irked fellow Republican lawmakers in early 2023 when he filed the resolution that successfully ousted former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. McCarthy then helped fund a primary challenge to Gaetz that included commercials alleging that he paid for sex with a 17-year-old, an allegation currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee.

Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and the Justice Department ended its own sex trafficking investigation without bringing charges against him.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press, file

Collins, a member of the Senate’s new Republican majority, described her surprise at Trump’s choice of Gaetz for attorney general in comments to reporters in the hallway outside the Senate chambers Wednesday.

“I was shocked by the announcement. This shows why the advice-and-consent process is so important, and I’m sure that there will be a lot of questions raised at his hearing,” she said. “Obviously, the president has the right to nominate whomever he wishes, but I’m certain that there will be a lot of questions.”

She was quoted in The New York Times, among other publications.

Collins also cast doubt on Gaetz’s ability to achieve Senate confirmation, according to reporting from NPR.

“I’m sure that there will be many, many questions raised at Mr. Gaetz’s hearing, if in fact the nomination goes forward,” she said.

Collins wasn’t alone. Other Senate Republicans, including Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, expressed doubt about Gaetz’s chances of getting confirmed. The Associated Press reported widespread surprise among GOP members at the news.

Collins, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a member of the Intelligence Committee, is poised to potentially chair Appropriations as her party takes control of the Senate.

However, that post could be in jeopardy because of Collins’ clashes with the Trump administration, and reports that Sen. Mitch McConnell may be interested in chairing the committee himself. McConnell, the current minority leader, is stepping down from his role, and on Wednesday Senate Republicans chose South Dakota Sen. John Thune as their new leader.

Collins’ office didn’t respond to a request for an interview Wednesday.

The office of Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent elected to his third term last week, said he would hear all of Trump’s nominees make their case.

“Senator King will review and consider all nominations when the next administration formally sends them to the Senate in 2025 – though he acknowledges that some of those mentioned thus far do not appear to have the requisite background or experience for the important posts in question,” King’s office said in an email Wednesday night.