Rep. Paul Ryan (Photo: WRN)
House Republicans are returning to Washington this week to deal with a nearly unprecedented leadership dispute. CBS News reports that Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan is now considering a bid to replace the outgoing John Boehner — but that Ryan would apparently refuse to negotiate with hard-line conservatives in the Freedom Caucus.
The head of the House Freedom Caucus, South Carolina Representative Mick Mulvaney, said Ryan has the credibility to unite the party — but he would need to convince others beside those on the far right. Several Republicans have said they would seek the speaker’s post if the 45-year-old Janesville Republican does not.
Boehner is scheduled to leave October 29th. The new speaker will have major headaches to deal with right away — including an early November deadline to raise the federal borrowing limit, and a looming government shutdown in two months unless a budget deal is in place by then.