Amid the jockeying to be the next Speaker of the House following the historic ousting of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., plans for a joint interview between candidates on Fox News have reportedly been called off. 

What You Need To Know

  • Plans for a joint interview between the GOP candidates for House Speaker following Kevin McCarthy's ouster on Fox News have reportedly been called off
  • Fox News’ Bret Baier was set to host GOP candidates for Speaker for a joint interview on Monday, but within hours of the announcement, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to Spectrum News the interview was being canceled
  • The House GOP is expected to have a private candidate forum Tuesday before holding a closed-door internal vote for a Speaker nominee Wednesday
  • Some House Republicans pushed back on the idea of having the process of selecting the conference’s nominee play out on a national and ultra-public stage – especially before they held their own internal forum 

Fox News’ Bret Baier, who co-moderated the first GOP presidential primary debate in August, was set to host GOP candidates for Speaker for a joint interview on Monday. But within hours of the announcement, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to Spectrum News the interview was being canceled. 

Thus far, only two House Republicans have officially thrown their hats in the race for the job: House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. Another member, Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., says he has yet to decide whether he will jump in. 

The House GOP is expected to have a private candidate forum Tuesday before holding a closed-door internal vote for a Speaker nominee Wednesday – although no one officially can be selected for the role until the full House votes on the floor. Some House Republicans pushed back on the idea of having the process of selecting the conference’s nominee play out on a national and ultra-public stage – especially before they held their own internal forum. 

“I still haven’t made a decision on my candidacy for speaker, but I know one thing for sure. I will not be participating in the televised debate,” Hern wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We need to make this decision as a conference, not on TV. The Republican conference needs a family discussion.”

“A televised debate between our Republican candidates for Speaker of the House is very unproductive,” Rep. Carlos Antonio Giménez, R-Fla., posted on X. “Glad to hear that both candidates have agreed to hold off on a TV debate & chose to address Republican Members directly instead.” 

Scalise and Jordan both swiftly announced their bids to lead the lower chamber in the aftermath of McCarthy’s removal. 

House Democrats will meet on Tuesday to tap House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., as their pick to take the House’s top job. In a letter to colleagues, House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., encouraged all members to be physically present next week for the speaker vote.

"The Republican Conference may hold their internal election as early as Wednesday morning," Clark wrote. "At the conclusion of the Republican Conference nomination election, the full House will conduct an election for Speaker by manual roll call vote."

With the GOP in the majority in the lower chamber, the next Speaker is likely to be a Republican. Throughout the 15 rounds of voting to pick McCarthy as speaker in January, every present Democrat voted to pick Jeffries as speaker. Jeffries won more votes than McCarthy through the first 11 rounds of voting, but neither candidate garnered a majority of the chamber. 

Spectrum News’ Justin Tasolides and Cassie Semyon contributed to this report.