House speaker candidates have pulled out of a planned joint interview on Fox News next week just hours after it was announced amid fierce blowback from GOP lawmakers, the latest sign of how simmering tensions within the conference are boiling over as Republicans scramble to find a new leader following Kevin McCarthy’s stunning ouster.
Both of the leading Republican candidates for speaker – Rep. Jim Jordan and Majority Leader Steve Scalise – backtracked from the plan to be interviewed jointly on Fox News with anchor Bret Baier from the Capitol next Monday after it had been announced by the network Friday morning. A third potential speaker candidate also said he would not participate in the forum.
A source familiar with the matter said Jordan and Scalise talked Friday and they agreed it wouldn’t be wise, so the forum is now off.
Gym Jordan is running? Sigh.
On the bright side, there will now be ample opportunity to discuss at a national level his unwillingness to protect vulnerable children in his care from sexual abuse. I’m sure plenty of challengers to Republican congresspeople can figure out a way to point out during the campaign the kind of leaders Republicans support.
Ad: If he wouldn’t protect vulnerable children under his care, what makes you think he’d protect America and better yet, do you really want this person 2nd in line to the presidency?
He did protect vulnerable children… from the consequences of committing sexual abuse. He also protected Ohio’s #1 priority, the sports team.