Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks during the We the People Membership Summit, featuring the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, at the Warner Theater in Washington on Monday. | AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana 2020 Elections Fox News says it will host a Bernie Sanders town hall

Sen. Bernie Sanders will participate in a town hall hosted by Fox News later this month, the network announced Wednesday.

The town hall is slated for April 15 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and will focus on economy and jobs. President Donald Trump won the traditionally Democratic-leaning state in 2016.


Fox News' Special Report’s Bret Baier and The Story’s Martha MacCallum will moderate the event.

Sanders, who is a leading contender in the sprawling 2020 Democratic field, previously participated in a town hall on Fox News during the 2016 election, alongside Hillary Clinton.

Baier tweeted that he is "looking forward" to moderating Sanders' event. He also teased the possibility of more town halls, saying "others are in the works."

The announcement that Fox News would host Sanders received some backlash. Ian MIllhiser, a columnist with the liberal news site ThinkProgress, tweeted a link to the release with the comment, "WTF is Bernie doing?"

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The Sanders event is not the only town hall Fox News has planned for 2020 presidential candidates. The network is also hosting a town hall on Thursday with former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who is weighing a 2020 run as an Independent.

The Democratic National Committee declined to allow Fox News to host a Democratic primary debate, with DNC Chairman Tom Perez citing the network's cozy relationship with President Donald Trump and his administration. A number of Fox News reporters, including Baier and Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace, have been critical of the DNC's decision.