Speaker Paul Ryan confirmed he will not run for re-election and will retire in June. In his remarks, he said his family is the main reason why he will leave.
From The New York Times:
Growing emotional at points, Mr. Ryan said family considerations weighed heavily on his retirement, explaining that his daughter was 13 when he became speaker and he did not want to be a remote figure in her teenage years.“The truth is, it is easy for it to take over everything in your life and you can’t just let that happen because there are other things in life that can be fleeting as well: Namely your time as a husband and a father,” he told reporters.
Ryan’s father passed away when he was in high school.
Ryan remarked that if he stays one more term his kids will only know him “as a weekend dad.” He reminded everyone that his children weren’t even born when he first came to Congress in 1999.
Ryan called his journey in congress a “wild ride.” He also stressed that President Donald Trump is not a reason for his choice:
“I’m grateful for the President for giving us this opportunity to get the country on the right track. The fact that he gave us the ability to get this stuff done makes me proud of the accomplishments that I’ve been a contributor to, it makes me satisfied that I’ve made a big difference and he’s given us that chance and I’m grateful to him for that and that’s really how I see it.”
He has “no regrets” during his time in Congress:
“You realize something when you take this job, it’s a big job with a lot riding on you and you feel it, but you also know this is a job that does not last forever. You realize that you hold the office for just a small part of our history so you better make the most of it.”
Axios wrote that friends have said that since Ryan passed tax reform, something he always wanted to do, that he is now ready “to step out a job that has become endlessly frustrating, in part because of President Trump.”
More than likely the next speaker will either be House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) or House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA).
It’s also important to note that Democrats may not have an easy time flipping Ryan’s seat.
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