A planned "closed debate" among House GOP speaker candidates on Fox News Monday has been called off amid widespread reported angst from the party's rank and file.
CNN's Melanie Zanona, who was also the first to break news about Republican House members revolting against the planned event, now brings word on Twitter that GOP speaker hopefuls Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Steve Scalise (R-LA) both got together and "agreed it wouldn't be wise" to participate in the Fox News event, which Zanona said was now "off."
The original forum, which was to be hosted by Fox News' Bret Baier, sparked an outcry from many members who believe some members' seeming addiction to going on Fox News and stirring controversy created the kind of dynamic that led to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and seven other Republicans voting to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as speaker this week.
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The decision to cancel just hours after Republicans started anonymously leaking their displeasure with the event to the press.
"One lawmaker called it 'insanity' and said 'people are p---ed,'" Zanona wrote on Twitter earlier on Friday. "Another Republican complained that this will turn their speaker’s race into a 'circus.' A third predicted event won't go on as planned because of the pushback it's already getting."
