Kasie Hunt’s workload at CNN just got heavier as she will anchor State of the Race on CNN International, which returns to the network’s schedule on Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET.
State of the Race will be an hour-long show airing on weekdays that delivers a daily look at the status of the upcoming U.S. election. The show will cover breaking news — driving conversations, and promising to cut through the partisan noise. With a blend of newsmaker interviews, discussions, and reporting from the field, State of the Race will also bring viewers the latest on the candidates, their campaigns, and the voters they seek to represent.
“Our mission here is to go into the heart of the stories shaping the election by connecting our viewers with the sharpest analysts, the most connected pollsters and campaign insiders, and the big names making the news,” said Hunt.
She added, “I’m excited to help viewers better understand the unique aspects of the U.S. political system, including all those caucuses, primaries, conventions, and other quirks impacting the race. Most importantly, we’ll lay out what matters and why for audiences across America and around the world.”
This will be the second show Hunt will host at CNN. She recently took over host duties for CNN U.S.’ early morning news show Early Start, which, according to Variety, will be renamed in the not-so-distant future.
How likely is a strike against the “big three” U.S. automakers? And is the Biden campaign taking Michigan for granted?@kasie goes one-on-one with Michigan Congresswoman @RepDebDingell pic.twitter.com/FkC8BibpoK
— CNN Early Start with Kasie Hunt (@EarlyStart) September 12, 2023
According to Hunt, the soon-to-be-renamed morning show which airs at 5 a.m. ET, will have segments devoted to international stories and sports. For viewers joining the show already in progress, there will be a “restart” segment at the bottom half of the hour where viewers will be brought up to speed on the latest news.
Hunt joined CNN from NBC News in August 2021 to anchor a show on the ill-fated and quickly axed streaming service CNN+. After CNN+’s demise, Hunt had been filling in on CNN’s Washington-based shows and appearing as an analyst during election programming.
The CNN anchor and chief national affairs analyst underwent a four-hour surgery to remove a benign brain tumor in 2021.
Before joining CNN, Hunt served as NBC News’ Capitol Hill correspondent and host of MSNBC’s weekday 5 a.m. hour Way Too Early.
On Tuesday, CNN also announced some additional changes to CNN International’s program lineup, which includes anchor Bianna Golodryga joining Zain Asher as a co-anchor of One World, which airs at noon ET. Elsewhere on CNNI, Connect the World with Becky Anderson will move up an hour from 8 a.m. ET to 9 a.m. ET.
“Our global audience understands the clear ripple effect that US policy has on the rest of the world, from climate change to the war in Ukraine, relations with China, the global economy, and more,” CNN International evp and gm Mike McCarthy said in a statement.
He added, “With Kasie Hunt in the anchor chair, State of the Race returns as part of our commitment to make CNN International the top destination for news and analysis of the consequential race to the White House. It joins an updated lineup that welcomes Bianna Golodryga as co-anchor of One World with Zain Asher and moves Connect the World up an hour, offering viewers fresh and essential programming powered by CNN’s world-class journalists.”
CNN International lineup effective Wednesday, Sept. 27 (all times Eastern):
- 9 a.m. Connect the World with Becky Anderson
- 11 a.m. State of the Race with Kasie Hunt
- 12 p.m. One World with Zain Asher and Bianna Golodryga
- 1 p.m. Amanpour
- 2 p.m. Isa Soares Tonight
- 3 p.m. Quest Means Business
- 4 p.m. The Lead with Jake Tapper