The race to replace ousted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy just got even more interesting.

Fox News "Special Report" anchor Bret Baier is set to host a closed debate between viable Republican Speaker contenders on Monday, prior to a likely Wednesday vote. According to sources involved in the planning, Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (Ohio), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (La.), and Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern (Okla.) will participate in the event.

Three words: Grab the popcorn.

Just for starters, as we reported on Friday morning, there's no love lost between Jordan and Scalise. The feud between the two main contenders to replace McCarthy goes back to clashes during the John Boehner era, and now with speakership on the line, the competitive, behind-the-scenes maneuvering of both guys and their respective supporters has no doubt intensified, which will likely lead to some fired-up differences on Monday night.

According to a Fox News press release, the Monday "joint interview" will precede the House GOP’s candidate forum on Tuesday, and speaker election on Wednesday. The event promises to be interesting, if not informative.

Baier will press the congressmen on who should be the next Speaker of the House and discuss the issues facing Congress and the Republican party going forward.

Since Scalise and Jordan announced their respective candidacies, both continue to rack up endorsements. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer is backing Scalise, while former President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind Jordan. In a post to Truth Social, Trump said in part:

He will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete and Total Endorsement!

While Hern hasn't yet officially decided whether to jump in the race, he has been gauging support since McCarthy's ouster, meaning he's trying to determine whether he has a legitimate shot. (He doesn't.)

Speaking of Trump

Trump told Fox News Digital that he would accept the speakership for a "short period" while Republicans decide on a permanent replacement. 

If they don’t get the vote, they have asked me if I would consider taking the speakership until they get somebody longer-term, because I am running for president. They have asked me if I would take it for a short period of time for the party, until they come to a conclusion — I’m not doing it because I want to — I will do it if necessary, should they not be able to make their decision.

While the former president didn't say who the "they" were, he did say he'd accept the job for a "30, 60, or 90-day period." 

There isn't enough popcorn on the planet.

While a short Trump stint as Speaker is unlikely, what is very likely is that between now and a Wednesday vote, the race will be tumultuous as hell. Here's more:

Trump’s endorsement of Jordan could help sort out what seems likely to be a tumultuous race for the speakership after the ousting of Rep. Kevin McCarthy earlier this week.

Jordan is a close Trump ally and one of the leading GOP lawmakers investigating President Joe Biden. He would be one of, if not the, most conservative members to hold the speaker’s gavel in recent memory should he be elected.

 Jordan has endorsed Trump’s presidential campaign. Scalise, who has served as majority leader under McCarthy, has not.

Jordan, the hardline co-founder of the conservative Freedom Caucus, said on Fox News on Thursday night he is confident he can bring together the fractured Republican conference.

Again, popcorn.

Meanwhile, there's a Republican presidential primary season to be run. 

If either Jordan or Scalise becomes the next House Speaker, the successful bid to oust McCarthy will look brilliant in retrospect, assuming of course that the new Speaker will able to at least temporarily disarm the GOP circular firing squad, as it relates to the 2024 election. 

Then, it's up to us. Let's not screw it up.