House Speaker [crscore]Paul Ryan[/crscore] set fundraising records in the first quarter of 2016, raising $17 million for his Team Ryan effort.
Team Ryan consists of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), Ryan for Congress, and Prosperity Action PAC. Ryan was able to give $11 million to the NRCC, a record-breaking donation to the group. It is more than former Speaker John Boehner’s best three fundraising quarters combined, the Washington Examiner reports.
Since Ryan has taken his post as speaker last fall he has raised a total of $23.5 million. “Six months ago, Paul Ryan was not speaker of the House and Team Ryan, his political operation, didn’t even exist. Since then, Speaker Ryan has gone all in, determined to defend and strengthen our House Republican majority so we can turn this country around,” Kevin Seifert, executive director of Team Ryan, said to the Examiner.
Ryan also raised $4.6 million so far this year towards his re-election bid and he has $7.6 million cash on hand, the most of any congressmen. It has been reported the House Speaker will face primary competition from a wealthy businessman in his district upset over Ryan’s views on trade and immigration. (RELATED: Paul Ryan Faces Tea Party Primary Challenger)