The View struggling to find a Republican to replace Meghan McCain: report

The producers of “The View” morning show on ABC have not been able to find someone to fill in as a conservative voice since Meghan McCain left in August.

The remaining co-hosts – Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, and Sunny Hostin – told their executive producer Brian Teta they were tired of the rotating cast of Republican guest hosts, according to a report in Politico.

McCain, daughter of late senator and Vietnam War veteran John McCain, announced she was departing the show in July, citing the birth of her daughter and a desire to continue living with her new family in Washington, D.C.

However, reports said McCain decided to walk away because she’d “had enough of” of her liberal co-hosts’ hostility, on- and off-air. TMZ reported she felt “ganged up” on.

ABC has tried a number of conservative fill-ins since McCain’s departure, including Condoleezza Rice, Carly Fiorina and Gretchen Carlson, but has not been able to decide on a permanent replacement.

Sources told Politico that the search has stalled because of executives’ standards, which sometimes conflict. They will not consider anyone who denies the 2020 election results, embraces the January 6 riots, or is too sympathetic to the MAGA wing of the GOP. However, the host must have credibility with mainstream Republicans, many of whom still support former President Donald Trump.

Ramin Setoodeh, executive editor of Variety and author of a book about The View, said the conservative seat was “the most difficult to fill” because someone who was too conciliatory was bad for ratings.  

“The secret formula is finding a Republican who actually disagrees about policy and politics, but the more liberal stars of the show openly resent that,” Setoodeh told Fox News.

ABC was eager to recruit Kat Timpf, a young libertarian personality who is currently under contract with Fox News, but she turned down the offer because of the show’s reputation for treating conservatives poorly.