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'Megyn Kelly's back!' News of moderator for next GOP debate gets everyone tuned in

Megyn Kelly, alongside Elizabeth Vargas and Eliana Johnson, is set to moderate the fourth GOP debate, slated to happen on December 6 in Tuscaloosa

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA: NewsNation, a cable channel owned by Nexstar, will host its first exclusive presidential primary debate, which will be moderated by none other than the former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly.

The fourth debate for the Republican presidential candidates is scheduled for December 6 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It will be broadcast on The CW network as well as on NewsNation.

Donald Trump, who is leading in the polls for the Republican nomination in 2024, has yet to appear in any of the primary debates, two of which have aired on Fox News and one on NBC.

The former US President famously clashed (and later made up) with Kelly during a GOP debate ahead of the 2016 election and is unlikely to attend its fourth installment.

Alongside Kelly, the event will be moderated by Elizabeth Vargas, who joined NewsNation as an anchor earlier this year, and Eliana Johnson, editor-in-chief of the Washington Free Beacon, a conservative news site.

The Free Beacon and SiriusXM, which airs Kelly’s radio show, are sponsors of the debate.

Megyn Kelly’s life since exiting Fox News

Megyn Kelly became a major name at Fox News while working for the network between 2004 and 2017. The lawyer-turned-journalist was also one of the women who spoke out about sexual harassment at Fox News, leading to the ouster of its founding chief executive, Roger Ailes.

One of the key moments was when she questioned former President Donald Trump in the first 2016 Republican primary debate, held in August 2015, angering the candidate. The event scored 24 million viewers, the largest audience ever for a primary debate, raising Kelly's stature even more.

In 2017, Kelly left Fox News for NBC News, where she was given a primetime magazine show and an hour on the morning franchise 'Today'. However, her stint at NBC News was cut short after two years when she reportedly made on-air remarks defending the use of blackface as a Halloween costume.

Despite apologizing, she was forced to leave with $30 million left on her contract.

Subsequently, in September 2020, Kelly launched her podcast show, 'The Megyn Kelly Show', which moved to the SiriusXM platform in 2021, and she has recently signed a new multi-year deal with the satellite radio provider.

On her show, she has conducted crucial interviews with Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. 

Kelly has mentioned that she is content with her current projects and has no intention of returning to daily television. However, her stint as the moderator of the fourth GOP debate would likely reignite the conversation about the journalist's future role in TV news.

On Thursday, November 9, Sean Compton, the executive in charge of NewsNation at Nexstar, stated that the forthcoming debate would be an excellent opportunity to introduce more Americans to the channel's exceptional journalism, as per the New York Times. 

Others hinted that viewers could expect a different tone. According to The Free Beacon's Eliana Johnson, the debate would occur outside of the mainstream media echo chamber and offer a platform for Republicans to promote their conservative ideas and values.

In a statement, Kelly promised an entertaining night, saying, "It will be the margarita of debates. Spicy, fun and somewhat intoxicating. Looking forward to it." 

Internet is thrilled to see Megyn Kelly return as GOP debate moderator

Megyn Kelly's sharp questioning and "no-nonsense" attitude seemed like a welcoming change in the Republican presidential debate, as netizens were thrilled by the announcement of her new gig. 

One wrote, "Excellent choice! She should do well!"  "be tough Megyn will be rock solid," added another. 

A person stated, "Talk about the come back, kid. Respectful of her strength and analysis of the political theater. She holds her ground, and she is legionary in style." 

"You go Megyn.. show them how's it's done," added someone else. 

One more expressed, "I might actually watch this one!! Hoping she gives them the hard ?!’s," while another chimed in, "Finally a debate worth watching where folks will asked the hard questions."

"I definitely will watch ! I like Megyn Kelly," noted a fan of the journalist as a person said, "She's a tough cookie. Should be interesting."