Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said Wednesday that he does not think his retirement this year will hurt Republicans chances of keeping the majority in the House.
“I gave it some consideration but I really do not believe whether I stay or go in 2019 is going to effect a persons individual race for Congress. I really don’t think a persons race for Congress is going to hinge on whether Paul Ryan is speaker or not,” Ryan told reporters Wednesday. “I don’t think it affects it. If we do our jobs, which we are, we will be fine as a majority. I‘m grateful for the president to get this chance to get the stuff done.”
He added:
I’m grateful with unified government that the president with this victory gave us so we can get all these big things done. We’ll have a great record to run on with a great economy, great accomplishments, and more to do. I really don’t think the American people are going to want to have the gridlock that the democrats are promising. I‘m confident we can run to the tape and get this done.
Ryan officially announced Wednesday morning that he will not seek re-election in November after months of speculation as to whether or not he would throw in his name for another term.
“I wanted to share with you a little of what I just told my colleagues a few minutes ago. You realize something when you take this job, it’s a big job with a lot riding on you and you feel it,” Ryan said Wednesday. “But you also note this is a job that does not last forever. You realize that you hold the office for just a small part of our history, so you better make the most of it. That’s why today I’m announcing that they shall be my last one as a member of the House.”
Republicans are expected to lose the majority in the House in November.
ReallyClearPolitics’ most recent generic voting ballot poll has Democrats up over seven percentage points going into the 2018 midterms.
Ryan’s fundraising committee brought in over $11 million in the first quarter of 2018. The speaker has raised over $54 million in the 2018 election cycle.
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