WASHINGTON, April 4 (UPI) — Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., on Monday rejected the notion he had any desire to become the Republican party’s presidential candidate.
Ryan told “The Hugh Hewitt Show” that anyone who wants to become president, should run to become president.
“I’m not that person. I’d like to think my face is somewhat fresh, but I’m not for this conversation. I think you need to run for president if you’re going to run for president, and I’m not running for president. Period, end of story,” Ryan said.
“I do believe people put my name in this thing, and I say, ‘get my name out of that,'” Ryan said, alluding to the fact that some in the GOP leadership have proposed Ryan’s candidacy without Ryan’s expressed approval.
Ryan also said he is worried July’s Republican National Committee, in which the GOP presidential nominee will be decided, will have different rules than the 2012 convention — particularly a rule that requires candidates to have the majority support of at least eight state delegations.
“That is going to be up to the delegates. I’m going to be an honest broker and make sure that the convention follows the rules as the delegates make the rules,” Ryan added. “It should not be our decision as leaders. It is the delegates’ decision. So I’m not going to comment on what these rules look like or not.”
A brokered Republican convention is now more likely than ever, as the delegate math in the Republican race is beginning to narrow for front-runner Donald Trump — who may come up short of securing the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the GOP nomination.
