Capitol Hill lawmakers react to election of first American pope: ‘Unbelievable’

Fox News caught up with several senators on Capitol Hill Thursday for their thoughts on the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, and many voiced excitement about the historic first.

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., called the news "unbelievable."

"If you told me ahead of time, I said, ‘No way. Never happen.’ This is phenomenal," said Hoeven. "I've been telling folks they'll never pick an American cardinal to be the pope. And I thought, you know, maybe somewhere else, but probably back to Europe. So, this is so exciting. I can't believe it."

A member of the Augustinians, a religious order within the Catholic Church, the newly elected pope was born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago in 1955. He studied at Villanova University, was ordained a priest in 1982 and was named a cardinal by Read Entire Article