Fox News Bret Baier to host joint interview with House speaker candidates

Fox News‘s Bret Baier will host a joint interview with three House speaker candidates on Monday before the Republican Conference’s private election next week. The discussion will be broadcast on the channel.

The event, hosted by Baier, who moderated the first Republican primary debate in August, was confirmed by a representative for Fox News to the Washington Examiner.

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Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was historically ousted from his post on Tuesday after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) forced a vote on a motion to vacate, which was passed 216-210. The one-member threshold to trigger the motion to vacate vote was a key concession made during McCarthy’s initial struggle to gather enough Republican votes to secure the speakership in January.

The appearance will include Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Kevin Hern (R-OK). Hern’s office confirmed the event and his participation to the Washington Examiner. Scalise and Jordan’s offices haven’t confirmed or provided comment to the Washington Examiner.

Scalise and Jordan have announced bids for the speakership and racked up several endorsements. Hern hasn’t announced his speaker bid but is expected to do so.

In an early Friday morning social media post, former President Donald Trump, whose name has also been suggested as a possible speaker, issued an endorsement for Jordan.

McCarthy was reportedly unhappy with steps Scalise had allegedly taken to gear up for his speaker bid and the timeline during which he initiated his campaigning. One anonymous Republican representative told the Messenger, “The body wasn’t even cold” when Scalise began his speaker campaign.

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Several reports indicated on Thursday that McCarthy’s aides were working on behalf of Jordan’s speaker bid against Scalise, whom McCarthy has worked with on leadership. The reports bring to light an alleged long-brewing feud between the two men who both had ambitions to become speaker.

Following the Monday Fox News debate, the House Republican Conference will have a candidate forum on Tuesday, with the closed-door party election on Wednesday. As for a speaker election on the House floor, a date hasn’t been scheduled.