CNN Hires Republican Ex-Congressman Sean Duffy on New Show

Victor Westerkamp
By Victor Westerkamp
October 21, 2019Politics
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CNN Hires Republican Ex-Congressman Sean Duffy on New Show
Rep. Sean Duffy (R) (R-WI) along with his wife Rachel Campos-Duffy deliver a speech on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 18, 2016. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

CNN has hired Republican ex-congressman and staunch Trump supporter Sean Duffy as a political commentator on its show, “State of the Nation.”

“Let’s bring in new CNN contributor, commentator, and former congressman Sean Duffy,” Jake Tapper said as he introduced Duffy onto a panel during Sunday morning’s show. “Thank you for being here and congratulations on joining the CNN family,” Tapper added.

The 48-year-old former congressman and representative of Wisconsin’s 7th congressional district was elected into office in 2011 and was reelected in 2018. Throughout his time in office, Duffy has been a supporter of the president and his policies.

Trump and Duffy
US President Donald Trump, with US Congressman Sean Duffy (L), speaks in the Cabinet Room of the White House on January 24, 2019 (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

However, last August he announced his retirement from politics as he wanted to dedicate more of his time to his family, and marriage with fellow former reality TV star and Fox News contributor Rachel Campos-Duffy, especially when it turned out that their ninth child who was born earlier this month had a heart condition.

“Recently, we’ve learned that our baby, due in late October, will need even more love, time, and attention due to complications, including a heart condition,” Duffy wrote in a statement in August. “With much prayer, I have decided that this is the right time for me to take a break from public service in order to be the support my wife, baby, and family need right now. It is not an easy decision—because I truly love being your Congressman — but it is the right decision for my family, which is my first love and responsibility.”

A number of CNN viewers did not react positively to the network’s latest move, taking to social media to vent their frustrations.

“Beyond belief,” wrote one Twitter user. “@CNN hired another GOP propagandist–Sean Duffy. In a matter of minutes, he’s pushed junk Republican talking points, conspiracy theories exonerating Trump & Russia, smeared Biden, and said people love the policies and Trump’s not making any money off presidency.”

On Monday morning’s New Day show, Duffy made his appearance as a political commentator and vigorously debated his new colleagues on Trump and the GOP.

“If you look at the Republican Party and Donald Trump, I mean, we’ve expanded the party. So, Donald Trump won Wisconsin for the first time since 1984—we won Michigan, we won Ohio, we’re winning union voters, rural voters—we’re doing better than we ever have,” Duffy said during the panel. “Now, if you want to say we don’t do well on the coast—in New York, New England, in the west coast of California, yeah, that’s true. But in the middle of America, where we actually have to keep the Senate and we have so many House seats, we are doing incredibly well.”

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