In a wide-ranging interview with Fox News Digital, Paul Ryan revealed he believed House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy would become House Speaker and that anyone who isn’t Trump could restore the party’s winning track record.
Ryan, who served as Speaker of the House from 2015 to 2019, expressed his belief McCarthy would win, claiming “everybody knows” McCarthy is the “right man for the job.”
Ryan’s comments come after McCarthy clinched the GOP nomination for Speakership on Tuesday (November 15) after beating last-minute challenger Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Az.) 188 – 31.
Biggs is a member of the Freedom Caucus, a conservative group in the GOP that refuses to lend McCarthy their support unless he agrees to their rule changes.
Given Republicans will only have a small margin over Democrats — who have 211 seats with six more to call — McCarthy will have to have the support of at least 218 Republicans when the new Congress votes on who becomes Speaker in January.
Asked about former President Donald Trump’s reelection pitch and whether it was compelling to voters, the former House Speaker answered “No.”
Trump announced his 2024 White House bid on Tuesday at the Mar-a-Lago resort.
Like many others, Ryan believes Trump’s announcement spells bad news for Republicans.
Ryan pointed to “the evidence” that, with Trump, the GOP loses.
He highlighted the GOP’s loss of the House in 2018, the Senate and White House in 2020, and the inability to regain the Senate during the midterms when Republicans had history and the economy on their side as examples.
Ryan also blamed Trump for the Republicans’ tight margin in the House of Representatives.
“Trump is costing us elections,” Ryan declared, adding, “I think anyone not named Trump can beat Biden.”
