WASHINGTON D.C. – October 9, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) – Pressure was mounting Friday on former 2012 GOP Vice Presidential nominee, Rep. Paul Ryan, to throw his hat into the ring for the job of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Chaos erupted on Thursday following Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s decision to drop out of the race for the powerful position.
McCarthy said Friday that he’s already talked with Ryan about pursuing the speakership. “It’s a big decision. He’s got to talk to his wife and everybody else, and it’s got to be his decision,” says McCarthy.
As the process to elect a new speaker unraveled on Thursday, Ryan repeatedly told reporters that he’s “not interested.” By Friday, Ryan said, “I have nothing new to say,” but did not reject the idea of running for speaker outright.
The 45-year-old Wisconsin lawmaker has a young family and friends say the speaker’s job with its frequent travel to raise money for the GOP might be unappealing. Ryan also currently holds the powerful and demanding position of Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.
Rep. John Boehner announced his departure from the speaker’s job and from Congress on September 25. Boehner had hoped to retire by October 30. Now, Boehner says he’ll stay on the job until a new speaker is installed.
Political observers say that could take time while Republicans try and agree on what GOP leaders describe as “a shared set of goals and governing vision that benefits the nation and our constituents.”
