CNN announced it hired recently retired Rep. Adam Kinzinger as a senior political commentator.
The Illinois Republican had served in the House since 2011 and operated mostly under the radar until 2021, when he took the forefront as one of the most outspoken anti-Trump Republicans. He served as one of the only two Republicans on the House Jan. 6 committee and further increased his public prominence by becoming more active on social media.
He decided not to run for reelection after his rebranding, perhaps expecting an electoral outcome similar to that of another prominent anti-Trump House Republican, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY).
Kinzinger is now set to begin a new career as a senior political commentator with CNN.
WATCH: ADAM KINZINGER SAYS GOP IS SHELTERING ‘RACISTS’ IN FAREWELL SPEECH
Anchor Erin Burnett announced Kinzinger’s surprise hiring in a segment Wednesday.
“I am pleased to welcome [Kinzinger] to CNN. He is appearing tonight in his new role, which is senior political commentator. Congressman, we really are thrilled to have you here on board,” Burnett said.
“It’s great to be on the team, by the way. Thank you. I’m excited,” Kinzinger replied.
Adam Kinzinger is now a “senior political commentator” at CNN lmfao. pic.twitter.com/dKFCfHMHdp
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 5, 2023
Kinzinger’s post-congressional career had been under speculation. His rebranding mainly appealed to Democrats, but he retained a right-wing voting record on nearly all issues throughout his tenure. Data from ProPublica showed that he voted with former Rep. Steve King (R-IA), whom he condemned as an extremist, on 90% of issues from 2017 to 2018.
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Kinzinger’s new career will likely see him continue his scathing criticisms, along lines he claims are moderate, of former President Donald Trump and the GOP.
