House Speaker Paul Ryan will not run for re-election

WASHINGTON — After months of speculation, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Wednesday that he will not seek re-election, delivering a blow to Republican leaders dealing with an exodus of veteran lawmakers and boosting Democrats’ hopes of winning back the House.

The Wisconsin Republican told reporters he believes he’s leaving with strong accomplishments his party can sell to voters ahead of the November elections.

“I have given this job everything I have,” he said. “We’re going to have a great record to run on.”

Rumors of Ryan’s imminent departure hit a peak in March when Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., said on the Reno radio show “Nevada NewsMakers” that the speaker could resign soon.

“The rumor mill is that Paul Ryan is getting ready to resign in the next 30 to 60 days and that (House Majority Whip) Steve Scalise will be the new speaker,” Amodei said during the broadcast.

Ryan’s spokesman immediately dismissed the resignation rumor, but on Wednesday, the speaker informed friends and colleagues that he will not seek re-election to his Wisconsin seat.

“Serving as speaker has been a great honor,” Ryan said. “Now, with all three of my kids in their teens, I am ready to set new priorities.”

Ryan, who has had a difficult relationship with President Donald Trump, thanked the president for giving him the chance to move the GOP ahead.

Ryan, 48, was invested in the tax cut package that Republicans passed last year, Amodei said, adding that now that “he’s had the opportunity to do what he wanted to, this might be a good time for him to exit.”

Amodei said Ryan has been in the House for 20 years. “He’s a strong family guy, which he mentioned this morning, wanting to be more to his family than just a ‘weekend dad.’”

‘Frustration’ in Congress

Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., said: “I wish Speaker Ryan the best as he retires from Congress.”

Titus said she hopes that Ryan in his final months “takes up common-sense gun violence prevention legislation, brings the DREAM Act to the floor and holds this administration accountable.”

Rep. Ruben Kihuen, D-Nev., said Ryan’s decision not to seek re-election was a sign that Congress is broken.

“His decision to leave is no doubt an indicator of the frustration felt by many in the House over this toxic president and perhaps a signal that the Republicans are uneasy about the next election,” said Kihuen, who chose not to run for a second term in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal.

Democrats, hoping to benefit from historically low approval ratings for Trump and a wave of retirements announced by veteran GOP lawmakers, need to reclaim just 24 seats to win back the majority in the House.

Ryan was elected to the House in 1998 and was the vice presidential candidate in 2012 on the Republican ticket with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Following the defeat, Ryan continued to serve in the House and was elected speaker in 2015 after Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, stepped down.

What’s next for GOP?

Ryan’s decision left many GOP lawmakers wary of the current political climate and the growing number of Republicans leaving the House in advance of the midterm elections.

The White House tried to tamp down speculation that the president’s rhetoric and actions have energized Democrats and voting blocs that have historically supported Democratic candidates.

“We certainly hope that Republicans will continue to remain in the House, especially those that support the president’s agenda,” said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders.

Republicans said they expect Scalise, R-La., and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to seek the speaker’s office if the GOP defends its majority in November.

Likely candidate

Multiple Wisconsin Republicans said the most likely GOP candidate for Ryan’s House seat is state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. He did not immediately return telephone or text messages seeking comment.

Another Republican mentioned as a potential candidate is longtime Ryan family friend and Ryan backer Bryan Steil, an attorney and member of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. Steil did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

Democrat Randy Bryce, a colorful ironworker who has cultivated an “IronStache” moniker, had been Ryan’s best-known challenger, drawing support from around the country. He had nearly $2.3 million in the bank at the end of the first quarter. Janesville teacher Cathy Myers was also running on the Democratic side. The only declared Republican was Paul Nehlen, who was banned from Twitter for a series of posts criticized as racist or anti-Semitic.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter. The Associated Press contributed to this report.