CNN’s Scott Jennings Rewarded With Lucrative New Deal
CNN’s resident conservative voice, Scott Jennings, is set to land a lucrative new contract with the network, solidifying his position as a key voice in the Trump era. According to sources familiar with the matter, Jennings has been negotiating behind the scenes for months, leveraging his high-profile role in CNN’s political panels.
The Mark Thompson-led network appears to recognize the value of having a prominent right-leaning voice on its roster, particularly as media outlets adjust to the shifting political landscape ahead of the 2024 election aftermath. Insiders say Jennings is poised to receive a substantial pay increase in the deal, though some details remain in negotiation, Status reported.
A CNN spokesperson declined to comment on Jennings’ contract talks. However, the decision to reward Jennings underscores CNN’s strategy of maintaining a stable of conservative commentators to drive ratings and engage audiences across the political spectrum.
Jennings, a veteran GOP strategist and former adviser to President George W. Bush, has been a regular fixture on CNN, often offering a Republican counterpoint on key issues. While his presence has at times sparked friction with the network’s more liberal contributors, it has also bolstered CNN’s efforts to present a range of viewpoints in an increasingly polarized media landscape.
Critics on the left have accused Jennings of being too sympathetic to Trump and the MAGA movement, while conservatives see him as a rare voice pushing back against the network’s historically left-leaning narratives. Regardless of where one stands, his new contract signals that CNN sees him as a valuable asset moving forward.
Born in Princeton, Kentucky, he graduated from the University of Louisville in 2000 with a degree in political science. During his time in college, he was a McConnell Scholar and worked as a news anchor for WHAS Radio.
He later managed Senator Mitch McConnell’s re-election campaign in 2002 and led Bush’s New Mexico campaign in 2004, flipping the state to Republican control.
Just last week, reports surfaced that Jennings was being encouraged by allies to consider running for Senate in Kentucky in 2026. With Sen. Mitch McConnell announcing he would not seek reelection, Jennings’ name had been floated as a possible contender to replace him.
Jennings has worked on multiple Republican campaigns and is a partner at RunSwitch PR, a public relations and communications firm. His political analysis and insights often focus on elections, policy, and party strategy.
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In 2017, he joined CNN as a political contributor, offering conservative analysis on various programs. By 2019, he had become a contributing columnist for the Los Angeles Times and later joined its editorial board in 2024.
His recent commentary includes criticizing Democratic responses to Trump-era policies.
Earlier this week, Jennings clashed with liberal panelists on NewsNight with Abby Phillip, defending former President Trump’s rising popularity. Despite pushback, Jennings cited data showing strong Republican support for Trump’s leadership and policies.
Two months into his second term, Trump has enacted executive orders dismantling DEI programs, tightening border security, and streamlining bureaucracy under Elon Musk.