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A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 12 april 2018
Speaker Ryan to retire, leaving big election-year GOP vacuum

By LISA MASCARO "It's just another issue that's
WASHINGTON (AP) — House floating out there, and ob-
Speaker Paul Ryan abruptly viously there's going to be
announced Wednesday some competition for his
he will retire rather than successor."
seek another term in Con- But a top GOP fundraiser,
gress as the steady if reluc- Eric Tanenblatt, expects
tant wingman for President Ryan to remain a force in a
Donald Trump, sending tough cycle. "Donors who
new ripples of uncertainty are committed to making
through a Washington al- sure Republicans hold onto
ready on edge and a Re- the majority will do whatev-
publican Party bracing for er they have to do to make
a rough election year. that happen," he said.
The Wisconsin Republican In Washington, Senate
cast the decision to end his Majority Leader Mitch Mc-
20-year career as a person- Connell, who has worked
al one — he doesn't want with Ryan, praised his col-
his children growing up with league's tenure. The Demo-
a "weekend dad" — but it cratic House leader, Nancy
will create a vacuum at Pelosi of California, said she
both ends of Pennsylva- hoped Ryan would work
nia Avenue. It will leave constructively on bipartisan
congressional Republicans goals before he leaves.
without a measured voice In Wisconsin, the most
to talk Trump away from House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., arrives at a news conference to announce that he will not run likely GOP candidate for
what some see as dam- for re-election at the end of this term, Wednesday, April 11, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Ryan's seat is state Assem-
aging impulses, and it will Associated Press bly Speaker Robin Vos,
rob Trump of an influential Republicans in the state
steward to shepherd his up colleagues and spoke ered running for another known to be tighter with said. Another Republican
more ambitious ideas into by phone with Trump ear- term. His own father died Trump, is expected to mentioned as a potential
legislation. ly Wednesday the news suddenly of a heart at- again seek the top leader- candidate is longtime Ryan
It's unusual for a House stunned even top allies. tack when he was 16, and ship post that slipped from family friend and backer
speaker, third in line to suc- Ryan announced his plans though Ryan is in good his reach in 2015. He will Bryan Steil, an attorney and
ceed the president, to turn at a closed-door meeting health, the distance from likely compete with Major- member of the University
himself into a lame duck, of House Republicans. Rep. his family weighed on him. ity Whip Steve Scalise of of Wisconsin Board of Re-
especially so for Ryan, a Mark Walker of North Caro- A final decision was made Louisiana. Both men spoke gents.
once-rising GOP star who is lina said an emotional Ryan over the two-week con- at the closed-door meeting Democrat Randy Bryce, a
only 48 and was the party's "choked up a few times try- gressional recess, which Wednesday, delivering trib- colorful ironworker who has
vice presidential candi- ing to get through" his re- he partly spent on a family utes to Ryan. cultivated an "IronStache"
date in 2012. His decision marks to colleagues and vacation in the Czech Re- Another potential rival, Rep. moniker, had been Ryan's
fueled fresh doubts about received three standing public. Mark Meadows of North best-known challenger,
the party's ability to fend ovations. Ryan, from Janesville, Wis- Carolina, a member of the drawing liberal support
off a Democratic wave, He later briefly thanked consin, was first elected conservative House Free- from around the country.
fed by opposition to Trump, Trump in public for giving to Congress in 1998. Along dom Caucus, demurred He had nearly $2.3 million
in November. And it threw him the chance to move with Reps. Eric Cantor and when asked if he'd pursue in the bank at the end of
the House into a leadership GOP ideas ahead. Kevin McCarthy, he brand- the speaker's job. "Leader- the first quarter. Janesville
battle that could end up While Ryan was crucial in ed himself a rising "Young ship has never been on my teacher Cathy Myers has
pushing Ryan aside sooner getting the tax cuts passed, Gun" in an aging party, a bucket list, and it's not on also been running on the
that he intended and crush a prime Trump goal, he and new breed of hard-charg- my bucket list today," he Democratic side. The only
any hopes for significant the president have had a ing Republican ready to said. declared Republicans so
legislation before the elec- difficult relationship. Trump shrink the size of govern- Ryan's announcement far are Paul Nehlen, who
tion. showed impatience with ment. came as Republicans are was banned from Twitter
Ryan, though, said he had Congress' pace in deal- He was GOP presidential bracing for a potential blue earlier this year for posts
no regrets after having ac- ing with his proposals, and nominee Mitt Romney's run- wave of voter enthusiasm criticized as racist or anti-
complished "a heckuva Ryan had to deal with a ning mate in 2012. for Democrats, who need Semitic, and Nick Polce,
lot" during his time in a job president who shared little Ryan was pulled into the to flip at least 24 GOP-held an Army veteran who also
he never really wanted. of his interest in policy de- leadership job by the sud- seats in November to re- co-owns a security consult-
He said fellow Republicans tail. den retirement in 2015 of gain the majority. ing firm. While his plans are
have plenty of achieve- Still, for many Republicans, Speaker John Boehner, As the House GOP's top uncertain once he steps
ments to run on this fall, Ryan has been "a steady who had struggled to con- fundraiser, Ryan's lame down in January, Ryan has
including the tax cuts force in contrast to the trol the chamber's restless duck status could send long said being speaker
Congress delivered, which president's more mercu- conservative wing. He has shockwave through donor would be his last job in
have been his own person- rial tone," said Rep. Mark had more trust with the circles that are relying on elected office. Others have
al cause and the center- Sanford of South Carolina. hardliners in the House. his leadership at the helm suggested that an ideal
piece of his small-govern- "That's needed." "That's probably his great- of the House majority. He job for the policy wonk
ment agenda. The speaker had been est gift to us," said Rep. Kev- has hauled in $54 million so could be running a think
"I have given this job every- heading toward this deci- in Cramer of North Dakota. far this election cycle. tank, noting the leader of
thing I have," Ryan said. sion since late last year, "His ability to bridge the "It injects some more un- the conservative American
Speculation over Ryan's fu- said a person familiar with vast divide." certainty to be sure," said Enterprise Institute recently
ture had been swirling for his thinking, but as recently House Majority Leader the No. 2 Senate Republi- announced he would be
months, but as he dialed as February he had consid- McCarthy, a Californian can, John Cornyn of Texas. stepping down.q