Now that Donald Trump has all but clinched the Republican presidential nomination, House Speaker Paul Ryan is walking back from his previous position that he would support the eventual Republican nominee.
Advertisement
Ryan said on CNN earlier Thursday that he’s “just not ready” to support Trump’s candidacy, even though the billionaire businessman is the presumptive GOP nominee. “I’m not there right now”, Ryan said. We fully support Mr. Trump as our nominee and now is the time for Republicans to unite and focus on defeating Hillary Clinton.
“And I think certain Republican leaders and establishment figures need to ask themselves how it is with the process not even over, he’s gotten more votes than any other Republican primary candidate in history, who is talking directly to the American people – their concerns about trade, about immigration, about a foreign policy that was restrained”.
If Trump ultimately receives the official Republican nomination, which appears inevitable, it’s likely that Ryan would at some point back his bid for the White House. But Trump’s bombastic rhetoric, unorthodox campaign and his lack of experience in government have left the party divided.
“And we’ve got a ways to go from here to there”, Ryan said. “And we have work to do on this front, and I think our nominee has to lead in that effort”. Only two other members endorsed in the primary: Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, supported Texas Sen.
In an interview recorded for Fox News Channel’s “Hannity”, he said Ryan and Trump “are meeting next week to talk about these things”.
Trump, who has proudly touted how he has self-funded his campaign, said he would begin actively seeking donations for his campaign and raise money for the national party.
Trump and his supporters will meet Ryan’s call to arms predictably, with ad hominem attacks on Ryan and his “establishment” ties, accusing him of ignoring the voters and subverting the will of the people.
Trump, whose rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich dropped out this week, has trailed Democrat Hillary Clinton by an average of 10 points in three Wisconsin polls conducted this year by the Marquette Law School.
An unconventional and highly controversial candidate, though, Trump has proven to be anything but a harmonious choice among the party elite.
But Ryan said that this wasn’t set in stone and that he hoped to eventually be able to support Trump.
After Trump proposed a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, the Speaker stated, “This is not conservatism”. “If you listen or watch Hispanic media in the state and in the country, you will see that it is all anti-Trump”, the Arizona senator told donors at a private event last month, a recording of which was obtained by Politico. “I should not be considered”.
“I understand that Americans are angry and frustrated”.
“We’ve been losing all the time”, Trump said in declaring victory Tuesday night.
Advertisement
The party’s candidate in 2012, Mitt Romney, has also refrained from endorsing Trump. McCain and Romney, who chose Ryan as his vice presidential running mate, will also skip the convention. “But he also inherited something very special, that’s very special to a lot of us. we hope that our nominee inspires to be Lincoln and Reagan-esque”.
