Conservative commentator and host of the #1 show on cable news Tucker Carlson was let go by Fox News this week. Tucker has hosted his primetime show since 2016 and has been a fixture at Fox News since 2009. I’m sure we’ll learn more details about what actually led to the split and what’s in Tucker’s future, but for now, let’s unpack the candidates to replace Tucker in the primetime lineup.

First off, it shouldn’t be some foregone conclusion that the replacement will take Tucker’s time slot. There are two directions that Fox News could go with. The obvious one is to slot in another conservative commentator. The other option is to shift Jesse Watters back an hour to 8ET/7CT and give the 7ET/6CT slot to someone that is closer to the news side, similar to what they had with Martha MacMallum for a few years. Knowing that she got bumped due to declining ratings, I’d learn towards guessing that it won’t be someone closer to the news side.

Let’s look at the top candidates.

Guy Benson

Benson has been with Fox News since 2013 and is currently the host of The Guy Benson Show on Fox News Radio. Benson pulls double duty and is the political editor at Townhall.com. While certainly not a favorite to land the gig, Benson would bring a fresh style to primetime. Mixing in a great sense of humor with his sharp political acumen, Benson would bring a solid conservative voice to the lineup that wouldn’t rely on shock, awe, and hyperbole.

Will Cain

A relative newcomer to Fox News since 2020, Will Cain is no stranger to media with previous stints at CNN, The Blaze, and ESPN amongst others. Cain is strong in his convictions yet is relatable as the guy coaching your kids baseball team or sharing a beer with at the game. Cain co-hosts Fox and Friends Weekend which is the same show Tucker was plucked from so the path would be familiar. However, as the father of young kids and proudly living in Texas, I can’t see him making the leap to a full time NYC resident.

Rachel Campos-Duffy

Keeping the Fox and Friends Weekend train going, Rachel Campos-Duffy is another name that could get looked at. The wife of former congressman and Fox Business host Sean Duffy, Rachel brings an energy that is currently lacking in primetime, especially with the departure of Tucker. In 2012, I attended a Mitt Romney rally that had a stacked lineup of celebrities and politicians, and she was the most compelling speaker that day. She has the it factor. Unsure how this would work raising a family as her show would take place an hour after her husband’s, but it’s not inconceivable.

Trey Gowdy

What Trey Gowdy lacks in excitement and energy, he makes up with tenacity and his sharp-witted approach to discussions. The former South Carolina congressman has been a Fox contributor since 2009 where he hosts a weekly TV show, a podcast, and appears across various shows on the network. I think Trey would be a safe choice that would hold down the fort for a couple of years, allowing for Fox’s younger talent to continue to rack up experience.

Lawrence Jones

If I was running Fox News, I would give the time slot to Lawrence Jones. A fast-rising star at the company, the 30-year-old would be a conscious move to attract younger viewers and talk about the issues that are impacting them. LJ got his start at Campus Reform where he was reporting and investigating the corruption and biases at college campuses across the country. As an official Fox News contributor since 2018, he’s heavily involved reporting for Hannity and hosting his own weekend show Lawrence Jones Cross Country. That’s not by accident as it’s often a way for the network to develop rising stars. Greg Gutfeld and Jesse Watters both had weekend shows before moving to the lineup. It might not happen this time, but it’s a matter of when, not if, for LJ.

Pete Hegseth

If you’re counting at home, yes, I did go 3/3 in mentioning the Fox and Friends Weekend co-hosts in this list. An Army veteran, Hegseth has been with the network since 2014 and is as steady as a rock. Passionate about the news and politics, Hegseth brings a common-sense tenacity to his coverage that oddly stands out in 2023. At the same time, he seems like a fun hang that people would invite into their living room which makes him a serious contender. Similar to Will Cain, Hegseth has a young family and lives in Tennessee, so I have doubts that he’d give that up for a permanent NYC residency. (Side note: This is a common theme. It might not be long until Fox News opens a studio in Tennessee or Texas to better accommodate their rising stars now and in the future.)

Brian Kilmeade

Kilmeade is my pick as the favorite to take over in this time slot. He was one of the finalists to replace MacCallum’s show that eventually went to Jesse Watters. A longtime fixture of the company, Fox News viewers and listeners are very familiar with Kilmeade and genuinely seem to like him. He’s co-hosted Fox and Friends since 1998 and has a three-hour nationally syndicated radio show on Fox News Radio, so the question would be if he’s up for altering that schedule. Kilmeade has an “everyman” style to his commentary that makes him very relatable while being able to match wits with Greg Gutfeld. Don’t underestimate his intellect and political savviness though as he has the chops to go toe-to-toe with anyone. I’m not a betting man – okay I definitely am – but if you’re also a betting person, throw your chips on Kilmeade getting the nod.

Kayleigh McEnany

The former press secretary for President Trump, Kayleigh would again be an intentional move to go younger and have younger voices in more prominent roles on the network. Already a co-host of Outnumbered, she would become yet another Fox News star that pulls double duty. Admittedly, I wasn’t a huge fan of her prior to becoming press secretary, but her attention to details, tenacity, and intellect that I observed during her time in the White House and at Fox News the last couple years, has made me a fan. She’s a fast-rising star who viewers would throw their support behind on day one. She might not be the top candidate, but I think she’s in the top tier of finalists.

Judge Jeanine Pirro

If you’re looking for someone to step in on day one to pick up where Tucker left off, I think Jeanine is the move. I’m not saying she’s the favorite and while there’s already questions around her future at the network, Jeanine makes a lot of sense. She’s been a regular guest on Fox News for over 20 years and became an official contributor in 2011 with her show Justice With Judge Jeanine. Most recently, just over a year ago she was added as a full time panelist on The Five. She brings passion, a fire, and a no-nonsense approach that while relatable with viewers, can grow to be exhausting at times. There’s a lot working against her too. She’s about to turn 72, The Five would have yet another co-host pulling double duty, and there’s probably a sense to move away from Tucker’s style from the network. I’d be surprised, but certainly not shocked if she got the nod.

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Fox News is dealing with a lot right now, so they may not be in a hurry to find a full time replacement for Tucker Carlson. While he was locked in as the #1 guy for many years, it’s not that long ago that Fox News primetime lineup included Bill O’Reilly and Megyn Kelly. Both were seen as monumental losses at the time, but the network really didn’t skip a beat. While many viewers may be concerned about where Fox News goes from here, if history and their deep bench of talent is any indication, they’re in good shape.