Speaker race to dominate Sunday shows

Guests on the Sunday talk shows will try to shed some light on a bizarre week in Congress, as several Republican House members make the rounds to discuss the chaotic race for Speaker.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who announced a bid for the Speaker’s gavel last Sunday, joins ABC’s “This Week” to discuss House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) sudden departure from the race and the conference’s shaky leadership situation.

{mosads}Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), chairman of the conservative Freedom Caucus, who has been floated as a potential Speaker despite repeated assurances that he will not run, joins “Fox News Sunday” to weigh in on the race.

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), who said he is open to a return to the House’s top job if he can get the votes, will also make an appearance on the Fox News program.

Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.), a founding member of the Freedom Caucus and a prominent critic of outgoing Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), joins CBS’s “Face the Nation” to give his take on who should take up the gavel.

GOP Reps. Charlie Dent (Pa.), a centrist, and Dave Brat (Va.), the Freedom Caucus member who bested previous Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a GOP primary, will headline NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Also discussing the pandemonium over the Speaker race are Republican Reps. Raul Labrador (Idaho) and Tom Cole (Okla.), who will each appear on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Several candidates from the Republican and Democratic primaries will also make appearances, as the latter group prepares for their first debate on Tuesday.

Here are the line-ups for the Sunday shows:

ABC’s “This Week”: Chaffetz will be joined by Republican presidential hopeful Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who is fighting hard for the Iowa caucus.

CBS’s “Face the Nation”: In addition to Mulvaney, a taped interview with Republican primary front-runner Donald Trump will air on the show, followed by fellow candidate Ben Carson, who will discuss recent controversial comments he made about guns. CBS will also release its latest poll tracking the 2016 election.

CNN’s “State of the Union”: Along with Cole and Labrador, Democratic presidential hopeful and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley will join the program to discuss his preparation for the first Democratic primary debate, which will be hosted by CNN on Tuesday. Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) will also forecast the debate.

“Fox News Sunday”: Gingrich and Jordan sit down with host Chris Wallace to discuss the Speakership turmoil. A taped interview with Trump will also air on a different Fox News program, “MediaBuzz,” on Sunday.

NBC’s “Meet the Press”: In addition to Dent and Brat, surging Democratic primary candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will join the show to talk about his plan for the upcoming debate.