If Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan doesn’t want the House Speaker’s job, others Republicans say they’ll take it. Several GOP lawmakers are now saying that they’re interested in the leadership job which Ryan has been shying away from.
Representatives Mike Pompeo of Kansas and Ryan Zinke of Montana say they’ll offer themselves as a replacement to the outgoing John Boehner. Republicans Bill Flores of Texas and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee say they’ve been recruited by others – and they’ll accept the challenge.
Ryan, the 1st District Republican from Janesville, has made it clear he doesn’t want the job, and his office said nothing has changed.
Ryan’s colleague, Eighth District Republican Reid Ribble of Wisconsin, doesn’t know what Ryan will do – but he also doesn’t think Republicans will need Democratic votes to elect a Speaker. “I think at some point the Republican conference will coalesce around one of the leaders who steps forward,” Ribble said.
Congress is in a week-long recess.