Short questions with Dana Perino for Chad Pergram

December 28, 2023 at 04:15 AM EST

In this "Short questions" piece, Dana Perino talks with Chad Pergram, senior congressional correspondent for Fox News — who reveals some standout career assignments, plus favorite foods.

You've seen us on screen, but have you ever wondered what we're like off-camera?

For the last few months, I’ve enjoyed checking in with some of your favorite Fox personalities to learn more about who they are behind the scenes.

What's the one thing Jesse Watters couldn’t live without? What's Bill Hemmer’s favorite Halloween costume? And what's sitting on Greg Gutfeld’s nightstand?

But that's not all! The fun is just getting started.

This week, we're excited to shine the spotlight on Chad Pergram, senior congressional correspondent at Fox News Channel. He joined the network in Sept. 2007 and is based in Washington, D.C.

Most recently, Chad covered the dramatic elections for House Speaker; he reported from the Capitol throughout the removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker, as well as the numerous votes that ultimately led to Mike Johnson becoming the new Speaker of the House. Earlier in 2023, he provided Fox News viewers with historical context, deciphering maneuvers and strategy from the House floor as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) finally prevailed in a post-witching hour vote.

Previously, Chad contributed to FNC's 2022 Midterm Election coverage and also reported on the hearings of The Select Committee’s Investigation of the Jan. 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. Chad reported live from inside the Capitol building as it was mobbed by rioters on Jan. 6, 2021.

P.S. We have so much more in store for you. Stay tuned each week for new editions of "Short Questions with Dana Perino" — and if there’s a question you want answers to or a suggestion for the person I should interview next, leave a note in the comments section below.

CP: I am from Jacksonburg, Ohio. It was the smallest incorporated village in the state when I lived there. Population: 52.

James M. Cox who was governor of Ohio, a congressman and the Democratic nominee for president in 1920, is also from there. His farm is across the road from where I grew up.

I went to Edgewood High School in Trenton, Ohio, and began working for WKRC Radio when I was still a student.

I later worked at WKRC-TV and WMUB-FM before moving to Washington without a job. I earned both degrees at Miami University (OH) in Oxford, Ohio. It’s just down the road from where I grew up.

CP: The riot at the Capitol was without question the biggest story I have ever covered. I was on the air for 15 straight hours, barricaded in the basement as the House and Senate finally certified the Electoral College results.

I was also the first broadcast/cable reporter to confirm the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011.

The ousting of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was extraordinary. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) was shot in Alexandria, Virginia, during a baseball practice close to where I live. I was there within minutes, reporting in sweatpants and a hoodie.

The great thing about covering Congress is you cover history every day. American history plays out underneath the Capitol dome. I see it with my own eyes.

I also reported on the expulsion from baseball of Pete Rose when I was in college.

And, I covered the first race for Congress by former House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), years before he matriculated to the speaker’s suite.

CP: As for chow, I would send everyone to where I grew up. Stop for a sausage and pepperoni pizza at Cassano’s by the bridge in Trenton, Ohio.

Order a thin crust pizza with pepperoni and sausage. The pieces are cut into bite-sized squares.

I am also a Cincinnati chili addict. I prefer Skyline Chili, which is a staple of the Queen City diet. I usually order what they call a "three-way" (spaghetti, chili and shredded cheddar cheese).

I prefer the location at the corner of Ludlow and Vine near the University of Cincinnati campus. Or, the Skyline in Oxford on High Street.

How about dessert? While in Oxford, walk two blocks and order a milkshake from UDF — short for United Dairy Farmers.

Or, head to Graeter’s ice cream in Cincinnati. I like the location right off Hyde Park Square. You can get your ice cream and then enjoy it on the square.

And if you’re lucky, a "tenured" employee at Graeter’s might even whip a "WEBN" for you. WEBN is a rock radio station in Cincinnati. Their studios used to be right next to Graeter’s on Hyde Park Square. A "WEBN" is a whipped chocolate and marshmallow dessert. Very gooey.

CP: My favorite "monument" is the U.S. Capitol.

I especially like sitting in the Capitol Rotunda at night when few people are in the building. I rest on a favorite bench near the statue of Dwight Eisenhower and think about how many people have trod those halls. And I think about how many people are driving around the city, looking at the Capitol Dome — but I’m the only one inside.

Also in the Capitol, I really enjoy the light in the Brumidi Corridor in the Senate wing of the Capitol — right between the Parliamentarian’s Office and the Appropriations Committee.

It’s great to catch the light in that hallway when the days are short in late November or December. Go around 4:30 p.m. It’s the most gorgeous spot in the entire Capitol.

CP: I would likely report on sports. I have covered the Congressional Baseball Game for FS1 the past two years.

As field reporter in 2022, I did color commentary in 2022. I also did pregame, postgame and intermission reports for the Washington Capitals radio broadcast a few years ago.

CP: I was always a Batman fan. He has no superpowers. Batman uses his mind, his cunning and his physical discipline to combat his foes.

CP: I used to ski a lot. I liked challenging courses in the Alps or the Canadian Rockies.

CP: I would invite President John Tyler.

He became president one month after William Henry Harrison died a month into office. His fights with Congress were legendary because lawmakers didn’t view him as a legitimate leader.

CP: "The Gay Place" by Billy Lee Brammer.

Brammer was an aide to Lyndon Johnson, future president and Senate majority leader. The book focuses on Texas politics — and provides insight into everything you need to know about politics at any level.

CP: Probably to Scotland. I like the quiet there.

CP: The opportunity to learn every day and take complex congressional and parliamentary events and distill them into something tangible for the viewer.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

To read all of Dana Perino's earlier "Short Questions" interviews for Fox News Digital, check out this (long) list!

For her interview with Mike Emanuel, click here.

For her interview with Gillian Turner, click here.

For her interview with Madison Alworth, click here.

For her interview with Nate Foy, click here.

For her interview with Laura Ingraham, click here.

For her interview with five New York FOX reporters, click here.

For her interview with Katie Pavlich, click here.

For her interview with Guy Benson, click here.

For her interview with Pete Hegseth, click here.

For her interview with Sandra Smith, click here.