US NATIONAL NEWS
Who might replace McCarthy as House speaker? What are Republicans already demanding for their vote?
Published
2 years agoon
By
Willie David
WASHINGTON (AP) — For Republicans, it’s a question with no clear answer: Who becomes House speaker after Kevin McCarthy?
It’s not at all certain that any of the GOP candidates will be able to round up enough votes — 218, if all lawmakers are present and voting — to ascend to one of the most powerful positions in government, second in line to the presidency.
Two longtime party stalwarts and hard-liners, Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio, have begun making their case though phone calls and texts to colleagues.
With the House trying to pick a new leader as soon as next week, others are waiting in the wings, including Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern, who as chair of the Republican Study Committee leads the largest faction of Republicans in the chamber.
McCarthy’s chaotic election as speaker in January took 15 punishing rounds and left him in a weakened position that contributed to his unprecedented downfall. Now, top Republicans want party members to work it out behind closed doors before a floor vote.
“Look, just like in January where you had all the circus on the House floor, I think this is circus-like and chaotic right now,” said Rep. Garret Graves, R-La. “It just doesn’t make sense.”
Republicans on Tuesday plan to kick off the process, in private, at an evening forum where candidates can address their colleagues. Republicans would vote on an endorsement, with only a majority tally needed. But a decision could be delayed.
Former President Donald Trump, the front-runner for the GOP nomination in 2024, is in talks to visit Capitol Hill next week, most likely for that candidate forum, according to three people familiar with the discussions who spoke on the condition of anonymity before an official announcement.
The real contest could come as soon as Wednesday when the House next convenes. But that attempt to elect a speaker could easily be delayed if there is no consensus choice by then.
Democrats will also vote, but Republicans have a slim majority and hold the power to choose the next speaker. Don’t expect a crossover or nonpartisan candidate.
A look at the lawmakers vying to be speaker and the demands they are already facing from some Republicans:
Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana
Scalise, now the top-ranking Republican in the House, is seen as an ardent conservative. He would be a logical pick for many Republicans. He brings years of experience in leadership. Scalise was majority whip from 2014-2018 and minority whip from 2019-2022.
He is dealing with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, and undergoing chemotherapy treatment. The toll of the treatments has been obvious as he makes his way around the Capitol. That is raising questions for some about whether Scalise can take on the demanding role of speaker, which usually entails a nearly nonstop schedule of fundraisers and campaign events.
But Scalise has a reputation as a fighter and has told reporters he feels great. He was shot and suffered an injury to his hip in 2017 when an attacker fired on lawmakers on a baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia. Scalise endured lengthy hospitalizations, multiple surgeries and a painful rehabilitation.
“I firmly believe this Conference is a family. When I was shot in 2017, it was Members of this Conference who saved my life on that field,” he wrote in a letter announcing his bid for speaker.
Both moderate Republicans, such as Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales, and far-right lawmakers, including Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, have spoken favorably about the potential of Scalise leading the House, creating the possibility that his candidacy could unite the party’s feuding factions.
Looming large over the race for speaker is a possible endorsement from Trump.
Scalise has hewed closely to Trump’s lies about the presidential election being stolen from him, and was among the 147 Republicans who voted against certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s election win.
He’s also long faced scrutiny over a 2002 speech to a Louisiana gathering of white nationalists — a decision that in 2014 Scalise said he was misinformed about and regretted.
Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio
Jordan, a founder of the House Freedom Caucus, is likely to be the favored choice of the hard-line conservatives now driving the Republican Conference. The Judiciary Committee’s leader has played a key role in Republicans’ impeachment inquiry of Biden.
The Ohio Republican, first elected in 2007, had tried to help McCarthy’s ultimately doomed effort to hold Republicans together. Jordan had been a key McCarthy advocate since Republicans regained the majority.
Jordan, 59, was also one of Trump’s closest allies when Trump was president. Trump even awarded Jordan the Presidential Medal of Freedom five days after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
“I feel like I can unite the conservative voters across the country and reach out to the moderates in our conference as well,” Jordan told reporters Wednesday.
He is leading the push against the “weaponization” of the Justice Department, which has brought several cases against Trump. Jordan was one of Trump’s chief defenders on the Judiciary Committee during Trump’s two impeachments.
Perhaps most significantly, Jordan worked closely with Trump and White House aides in the weeks and days before the Capitol riot, strategizing about how Congress could help Trump overturn his loss to Biden. Jordan also refused to comply with subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack as lawmakers tried to gather more information about his role.
Jordan once coached wrestling at Ohio State, and former wrestlers said in 2018 that he turned a blind eye to complaints that a now-dead team doctor was sexually abusing the athletes. Jordan has denied those allegations.
Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla.
Hern leads the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative group in the House, and has a reputation as a policy-focused lawmaker.
Compared with Scalise and Jordan, Hern, 61, has not been in the House for long, elected in 2018. But he points to his experience in the business world — he made millions as a McDonald’s franchisee and was part of its national leadership team — as an asset.
“I think you have to have a different set of skill sets,” Hern told reporters this week. He added: “Strife is something that’s common when you have people working together and finding common solutions for it takes experience.”
During the January speaker contest, Hern was one of the alternatives nominated by holdout conservatives as an alternative to McCarthy.
Hern was one of the 147 Republicans to vote against certifying the 2020 election.
Republicans are digging in for a long contest to choose a speaker. Democrats are uniting around Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York as their choice for speaker, just as they did in January.
Several far-right Republicans have pointed out that the speaker does not have to be a House member and suggested naming Trump or one of his close allies to the job. Such a move would be without precedent, and Trump has made it clear he’s focused on winning the presidency.
What demands are Republicans making to the candidates?
One of the many factors that led to McCarthy’s downfall was the multitude of promises — some seemingly conflicting and contradictory — that he was forced to make as he tried to pass legislation and hold together the party’s narrow majority. So the promises made by the next speaker will be closely watched.
Gaetz singlehandedly set in motion McCarthy’s ouster by filing a “motion to vacate” under a change to House rules. Some Republicans say the one-person threshold was a grave mistake and want the rule set at a higher number before the next speaker takes charge.
But changing House rules in the middle of a session could prove a tall order and hard to accomplish without Democratic support.
Other hard-line Republicans are readying their demands as well. Some were eyeing steep spending cuts as well as targeting some federal agencies and officials, including defunding special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecutions of Trump.
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US NATIONAL NEWS
Frontier Airlines Flight to San Francisco Returns to Denver After Smoke Odor, Stranding 200 Passengers Ahead of Super Bowl 60
Published
2 weeks agoon
February 2, 2026
DENVER (FNN) — A Frontier Airlines flight carrying nearly 200 passengers bound for San Francisco ahead of Super Bowl 60 was forced to return to Denver International Airport late Sunday night after passengers reported a smoke-like odor inside the aircraft.
Florida National News (FNN) President and CEO J. Willie David, III was among those onboard Frontier Flight 2519, which departed Denver at approximately 10:29 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2026, en route to San Francisco. Super Bowl 60 festivities are scheduled to begin Monday, Feb. 2.
SMOKE ODOR PROMPTS MID-FLIGHT RETURN
Passengers seated near rows 26 and 27 reported detecting an odor similar to smoke and immediately alerted flight attendants. Frontier crew members conducted an onboard assessment and escalated the concern to the flight captain.
Out of an abundance of caution, the captain made the decision to terminate the flight mid-route and return to Denver for further inspection. The aircraft landed safely at Denver International Airport, where Denver Fire Rescue personnel were standing by upon arrival.
Firefighters boarded the aircraft to inspect the cabin while passengers remained seated. No injuries were reported.
In a separate but related incident highlighting industry-wide concerns over cabin air quality, Frontier Airlines Flight 2519 previously returned to Denver following a reported fumes event that prompted pilots to declare an emergency. That aircraft also landed safely, and medical personnel were requested as a precaution for potential exposure. Frontier later arranged a replacement aircraft while the source of the fumes was investigated.
PASSENGERS STRANDED OVERNIGHT AT DENVER AIRPORT
With no additional outbound flights available overnight, nearly 200 passengers were stranded at Denver International Airport. Many slept on terminal floors as families waited with crying infants and exhausted travelers searched for updates.
Frontier later notified passengers that the delay was caused by a required aircraft change, rescheduling the Denver-to-San Francisco flight for 6:00 a.m. on Feb. 2, nearly eight hours after its original departure time.
Affected passengers were given the option to rebook, cancel for a refund, or receive a credit shell valid for five years. Frontier also issued a $50 travel voucher to impacted travelers as a goodwill gesture.
However, some passengers said Frontier Airlines did not go far enough with its goodwill gesture, arguing that their lives were significantly disrupted by the smoke odor, potential fume exposure and mechanical concerns.
Several travelers said the $50 flight voucher and $10 breakfast voucher fell short of compensating for missed events, overnight delays and extended time spent at the airport. Some also cited additional Frontier delays involving mechanical issues, including a separate flight from Kansas to Denver that was delayed for several hours the same night.
Passengers who experienced multiple disruptions described what they view as a pattern of operational and mechanical problems, raising broader concerns about reliability during high-volume travel periods. Frontier Airlines has not publicly commented on whether the incidents are connected.
SUPER BOWL 60 PLANS DISRUPTED, SAFETY PRAISED
David, who had already experienced a 10-hour layover prior to the incident, spent nearly 20 consecutive hours at Denver International Airport, missing the opening day of Super Bowl 60 week events.
“This is a nightmare built on delay after delay,” David said. “I’m stuck at Denver International Airport and will miss part of Super Bowl 60 week even before kickoff. That said, I applaud Frontier Airlines for prioritizing passenger safety. “I would rather be safe than unalive,” David said, adding that passengers deserve clean air onboard Frontier aircraft and a smoke-free cabin environment, without exposure to mechanical fumes that could pose potential health risks.
While the incident added to travel disruptions during one of the busiest sports weeks of the year, many passengers expressed appreciation for the flight crew’s decision to return to Denver, emphasizing that safety outweighed inconvenience.
HISTORY OF FUME AND SMOKE INCIDENTS IN AVIATION
Fume- and smoke-related incidents are a known concern across the commercial aviation industry. Airlines, including Frontier, have previously reported cabin air irregularities that prompted precautionary landings and inspections. Such events have occasionally led to passenger complaints and legal action industry-wide, underscoring the importance of immediate response protocols when odors or smoke are detected onboard.
Politics
Gov. Hochul Announces Statewide Preparations as Arctic Cold, Heavy Snow Threaten New York
Published
3 weeks agoon
January 23, 2026
ALBANY, N.Y. (FNN) — Extreme Cold Watches are in effect for the North Country from 7 p.m. Friday through 1 p.m. Saturday as dangerously low temperatures threaten much of northern New York, state officials announced.
Wind chill values could make temperatures feel as low as minus 50 degrees Friday night and minus 30 degrees Saturday night, creating life-threatening conditions for anyone exposed for extended periods.
Winter Storm Expected to Bring Heavy Snow Statewide
A large winter storm system is forecast to impact New York beginning Sunday morning and continuing through Monday, bringing widespread snowfall across much of the state.
Forecasters predict 12 to 18 inches of snow for New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, Capital Region, Southern Tier, Mohawk Valley, Lower North Country, and parts of Central New York. Western New York and the Upper North Country could see 6 to 12 inches of snow.
State Agencies Mobilized Ahead of Storm
At the governor’s direction, state response agencies have been engaged in multi-day preparations to address the expected extreme cold and heavy snowfall. Crews are coordinating snow removal, emergency response, and public safety operations to minimize disruptions and ensure rapid assistance where needed.
Voting Changes and Telework Guidance Issued
Due to the expected weather conditions, early voting for the Feb. 3 New York City special elections has been suspended on Sunday, Jan. 25, and Monday, Jan. 26.
Additionally, all non-essential state employees have been directed to telecommute on Monday where possible to reduce travel and maintain safety.
Public Safety Alerts Available to Residents
New Yorkers are encouraged to stay informed by signing up for weather and emergency alerts by texting 333111, which provides real-time updates and safety information during severe weather events.
Sports
Green Day to Kick Off Super Bowl LX With 60th Anniversary Opening Ceremony
Published
3 weeks agoon
January 23, 2026By
FNN SPORTS
NEW YORK (FNN SPORTS) — The NFL announced that global rock icons Green Day will open Super Bowl LX with a high-energy opening ceremony celebrating 60 years of Super Bowl history at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.
The performance will mark a milestone moment for the league, blending music, football, and Bay Area culture as the NFL honors six decades of championship moments.
Hometown Band to Honor Super Bowl Legends
As part of the anniversary celebration, East Bay natives and Grammy Award–winning rock band Green Day — Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool — will usher generations of Super Bowl MVPs onto the field with a dynamic performance featuring the band’s most iconic anthems.
“We are super hyped to open Super Bowl 60 right in our backyard,” said Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong. “We are honored to welcome the MVPs who’ve shaped the game and open the night for fans all over the world. Let’s have fun. Let’s get loud.”
Opening Ceremony to Air Across Multiple Platforms
The Super Bowl LX opening ceremony will air live at 3 p.m. PT on NBC, Telemundo, Peacock, and Universo, transforming Levi’s Stadium into a celebratory stage ahead of kickoff.
“Celebrating 60 years of Super Bowl history with Green Day as a hometown band, while honoring the NFL legends who’ve helped define this sport, is an incredibly powerful way to kick off Super Bowl LX,” said Tim Tubito, NFL senior director of event and game presentation. “Working alongside NBC Sports, we look forward to creating a collective celebration for fans in the stadium and around the world.”
Pregame Entertainment Lineup Announced
The opening ceremony will precede the previously announced Super Bowl LX pregame entertainment lineup. Charlie Puth will perform the national anthem, Brandi Carlile will sing “America the Beautiful,” and Coco Jones will deliver “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
