Politics

Freedom Caucus Would ‘Look Favorably’ On Paul Ryan As Speaker

Derek Draplin Associate Editor
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House Freedom Caucus chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said Sunday that the “group would look favorably on” Paul Ryan if he ran for speaker of the House.

Responding to a question from Fox’s Chris Wallace about if the caucus would support Ryan for speaker, Jordan made it clear that the Freedom Caucus has endorsed Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), yet spoke highly of Ryan. (RELATED: House Freedom Caucus Endorses Daniel Webster For Speaker)

“We have endorsed Daniel Webster, but Paul Ryan is a good man,” Jordan told Wallace. “He’s a great communicator, the kind of messenger I think our party needs, and certainly if he gets in the race I think our group would look favorably on him.”

Jordan added that the Freedom Caucus’s primary goal is to reform the institution and decentralize power from the party leadership.

“We’re much more concerned about reforming the institution,” he said. “This is not just about who the next speaker is, it’s about what’s going to change — the business as usual attitude around there, changing that is foremost on our minds. and that’s what we’re focused on.”

When pressed by Wallace about if Ryan won’t agree to “really considerable decentralization,” Jordan said he thinks Paul and the next speaker has to agree to the caucus’s desired reforms. (RELATED: What Conservative Lawmakers Think About Paul Ryan Running For Speaker)

“I think he will agree to that. I think the next speaker has to agree,” he said.

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