A Fox News host was caught on a hot mic saying “dumb***” during the network’s live coverage of the vote for speaker of the House.
Brian Kilmeade could be heard uttering the insult just seconds after Republican Rep Don Bacon voted for Kevin McCarthy.
As the roll call was read out and representatives gave their votes, the Nebraska lawmaker was the first in his party alphabetically to vote against Ohio Rep Jim Jordan to assume the speakership.
Given the Republican Party’s slim majority in the House of Representatives, Mr Jordan can only afford to lose three votes and still secure the speaker’s gavel.
Rep Bacon was just the first of 20 members to vote against the majority of their GOP colleagues, showing that Mr Jordan still has some work to do to negotiate the support he needs.
The vote signalled that there was continued opposition and once four votes against Rep Jordan accrued, it appeared others felt more comfortable voicing their discontent.
The Independent has contacted Fox News for comment.
Firebrand rightwing Ohio Rep Jordan, who secured the backing of former president Donald Trump, was nominated by Rep Elise Stefanik.
On the Democratic Party side, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York was nominated by California Rep Pete Aguilar.
After Kevin McCarthy lost the speakership earlier this month, Majority Leader Steve Scalise failed to get the backing he needed for a vote on the floor of the House, returning the focus to Mr Jordan, who was the only challenger to Mr Scalise in the first internal GOP vote on who should be the next speaker. Mr Scalise won that vote 113 to Mr Jordan’s 99.
If Mr Jordan is unable to grasp the House speaker gavel, a number of Republicans have mentioned Louisiana Rep Mike Johnson as a possible next option.
The vice chair of the Republican conference, 51, has been floated alongside Majority Whip Tom Emmer, 62, who has spent the last half-decade in the leadership, with most of his time going to chairing the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).
While Mr Emmer has some backers on the right of the party, large parts of the Trump wing aren’t as supportive, Punchbowl News noted.
Former Speaker McCarthy may start believing in an unlikely comeback if the speaker race doesn’t come to a resolution this week. This would require at least four of the eight members who voted against him to flip.
Many GOP members have told the press that their party is so divided that no candidate can get 217 votes from the party, meaning that votes from Democrats may be required to get over the line.
