John King exits CNN's 'Inside Politics' for new role. Dana Bash will succeed him

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WASHINGTON DC-FEBRUARY 22, 2011: CNN anchors John King and Dana Bash at Childhelp's Annual Capitol Careaoke event held in the atrium ballroom at the Ronald Reagan Building. Founded in 1959 by Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson (they played the girlfriends of Ricky and David Nelson on "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet"), Childhelp is one of the the oldest and largest nonprofit organizations dedicated to the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Childhelp residential treatment Villages are located all over the United States. Rebecca Cooper of ABC7 founded this annual fundraiser for Childhelp called "Capitol Careaoke" where many local celebrities are scheduled to sing karaoke during the seated dinner. In its fourth year this is a fabulous event and it is quite fun to watch slightly tipsy anchors from CNN pitted against Fox news in song! The event raised approximately 150K through ticket sales and the silent auction... the average ticket costing $500.00 Tracey Madigan and Suzanne Singer were co-chairs of the event. (Photo by Rebecca D'Angelo/For the Washington Post)
CNN anchors and then-spouses John King and Dana Bash in 2011. (Rebecca D'Angelo / Getty Images)

John King, CNN's man at the magic wall, is leaving his daily program "Inside Politics" for a new role at the network.

CNN announced Thursday that King's daily program will be taken over by Dana Bash, a chief political correspondent who also co-anchors the Sunday program "State of the Union." Bash will retain her Sunday role.

King and Bash are ex-spouses. They were married from 2008 to 2012 and have a son.

King, 59, has anchored "Inside Politics" since 2014. He is best known to viewers for maneuvering the touch-screen electoral map known as the "magic wall" during CNN's election coverage.

The handoff of "Inside Politics" is the latest tweak to the CNN lineup under chairman Chris Licht. The network recently revamped its daytime lineup with "CNN News Central."

The network on Monday cut ties with "CNN This Morning" co-host Don Lemon, who was fired after a 17-year run at the network.

CNN has been in a state of turmoil over the past year, facing budget cuts and declining profits as its ratings have declined.

King will lead a new reporting project focused on voters in key battleground states as the 2024 presidential campaign cycle gets underway.

The assignment will have King follow the voters in those states, getting their views on politicians and issues throughout the election cycle.

“This is my ‘back to the future’ dream assignment,” King said in a statement. “It is my tenth presidential cycle and, given the stakes, I felt it was time to get back to my roots reporting across the country.”

King will remain a part of CNN’s live election and special coverage.

Bash, 51, has spent her 30-year career at CNN as a producer, correspondent and anchor. She was a co-moderator of a 2019 Democratic presidential primary debate.

"John built an extraordinary show that has attracted a loyal audience of political junkies, and I am looking forward to leading its next chapter," Bash said in a statement.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.