Conservative commentator Dan Bongino has joined a scramble to inherit the radio talk show mantle left behind by the death of Rush Limbaugh.

Cumulus Media�s Westwood One said Bongino will begin a new three-hour radio program from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern, the same time slot Limbaugh occupied before his death due to lung cancer in February. Bongino�s news and opinion show will launch May 24 in markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.

Limbaugh�s show is syndicated to more than 600 markets through Premiere Networks, which has not announced future plans. Since the star�s death, the show has featured guest hosts and old tapes of Limbaugh.

That is setting off a race to offer an alternative in that time slot, said Michael Harrison, publisher of Talkers magazine. Dana Loesch and Erick Erickson are among the personalities being bandied about, he said.

�There is no clear-cut favorite at this time,� Harrison said. �It is generally accepted that no one can replace Rush Limbaugh, even Rush Limbaugh as a posthumous performer.�

Bongino, a former Secret Service agent, has become a popular commentator on Fox News Channel, featured frequently on Sean Hannity�s show. He has a podcast and is considered a rising star in the community of conservative commentators.

�I�m excited to embrace the immense power of radio to connect with my listeners live for three hours every day,� said Bongino. �This is an incredible privilege, and I pledge to honor the trailblazing work of those who came before me.�

Although he�s starting with slots on Cumulus-owned stations in some big cities, it�s not immediately clear how many markets Bongino will be heard in.

�Dan has been on a meteoric rise since his podcast launched in 2019, and we look forward to watching his star continue to rise,� said Suzanne Grimes, Westwood One president.

(AP)