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By Jason Lemon
Deputy News Director
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Right-wing political commentator Lou Dobbs expressed his hope that Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio or Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida—both Republicans—could become House Speaker if the GOP retakes control of Congress' lower chamber in the upcoming midterm elections.
Political analysts and polls suggest that Republicans are well-positioned to regain control of the House, and possibly the Senate, in the 2022 midterms in November. Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has publicly voiced his ambition to become House Speaker if the GOP can secure a majority of seats in the legislative chamber.
But many conservatives, and some GOP lawmakers, have criticized McCarthy, a California Republican, and his leadership. Some have floated alternatives, including former President Donald Trump or a close ally, such as Jordan.
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Dobbs, who hosted an evening program on Fox Business until last year, said he was against McCarthy becoming Speaker during a Thursday episode of Gaetz's Firebrand podcast.
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"It's a shame, in my opinion, that Kevin McCarthy wants to be Speaker when the Republicans win in November. It's outrageous. He's too much of a—I'll be kind—not RINO [Republican in name only], a middle of the roader," Dobbs said. "I personally believe him to be outright a RINO. The party needs strength, it needs vision, it needs energy, it needs vibrancy and blood in leadership—it's that simple."
Gaetz then asked the right-wing commentator if he'd be excited about Jordan getting elected as House Speaker.
"You'd bet I could be excited about Jim Jordan, as you well know," Dobbs said with excitement.
The former Fox Business host said he thinks "highly" of the Ohio congressman and told Gaetz he thinks "highly" of him as well.
"I think you should be in there as well," Dobbs suggested.
"I really believe that the brightest, hardest working conservative leaders we have in the House should be leading the House, and I believe most of the members would agree with me on that," he added.
A Gaetz spokesperson later told Newsweek that the Republican congressman plans to nominate Trump to be House Speaker.
"Congressman Gaetz plans to nominate President Trump to be Speaker and has no personal ambition for the position. Congressman Gaetz has never run for Speaker, unlike his friend and mentor Jim Jordan. It is unlikely that the desire to be Speaker is an itch that goes away with one scratch," the spokesperson said.
Jordan announced his intention to run to be House Speaker ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. However, Democrats regained control of the legislative chamber and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was re-elected to the post.
In May of last year, McCarthy spoke confidently about his ambition to lead the House after the 2022 midterms. "I'm looking forward to being Speaker in the next Congress," he said at the time.
However, the California Republican has faced substantial backlash from pro- and anti-Trump GOP lawmakers since then.
"We know that Kevin McCarthy has a problem in our conference. He doesn't have the full support to be speaker," Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a staunchly pro-Trump Republican from Georgia, said while speaking on Gaetz's podcast in November.
Other Trump allies—like Gatez—have floated the idea of Trump becoming House Speaker. Although the Speaker is traditionally chosen from among the elected members of the legislative body, technically a non-member can be chosen if a majority of lawmakers support their candidacy.
Last February, ex-Trump White House strategist Steve Bannon told a group of Boston Republicans that the former president should be the next Speaker.
"We totally get rid of Nancy Pelosi, and the first act of President Trump as Speaker [of the House] will be to impeach Joe Biden for his illegitimate activities of stealing the presidency," he told the gathering at the time.
Newsweek reached out to Jordan's press secretary for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
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