Ryan easily beat challenger Paul Nehlen (KNEEL-uhn) on Tuesday.
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During an interview with Business Insider last week, Nehlen called Ryan a “soulless globalist”, yet expressed skepticism that Trump’s praise would lead to his victory.
At a news conference in Wisconsin Tuesday night, Ryan thanked his supporters and said voters are looking for hope, not fear. This is absolutely igniting exactly what we wanted: “our country back”.
Add House Speaker Paul Ryan’s primary race to the list of things turned upside down by Donald Trump.
In businessman Paul Nehlen, Ryan faced a primary challenger who was briefly emboldened by Donald Trump’s meddling in Wisconsin’s 1st District politics.
First the nominee praised Ryan’s opponent, an avid Trump supporter, and pointedly withheld his endorsement of the speaker.
Trump then refused to endorse Ryan until last Friday.
He also received some notable support – former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin endorsed him, and conservative author Ann Coulter campaigned with him last weekend. I’m not gonna roll over to the Democrats’ side, but I will tell you this, I fully suspect when I win, Paul Ryan’s machine will try to get the Democratic (presidential candidate) elected.
The race was framed as a clash between Trump’s insurgent wing of the GOP and the party’s conservative establishment, but polls predicted Ryan would win in a blowout.
Nehlen was asked if he should lose Tuesday – whether he would endorse Ryan.
House Speaker Paul Ryan will be facing Democrat Ryan Solen on November 8. EARLY VOTER TURNOUT LOW Wisconsin election officials aren’t breaking a sweat so far this primary election.
“I have been honoured and privileged and humbled to spend time with mothers who have lost their handsome American children to illegal immigrant violence, enabled by sanctuary cities, which Paul Ryan has funded, and allowed in by open borders that Paul Ryan has left open”, he continued in the video.
Nehlen, an executive at a water filtration company, made a web video of himself riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, showing his tattooed arms.
But Mr. Ryan’s deep ties to his district, a massive campaign treasury and an huge likability helped him surmount the challenge.
But Ryan responded quickly to Trump’s dabbling in his race, determined to avoid the fate that befell House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in his surprise primary loss in 2014.
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Nehlen isn’t the first public figure in Wisconsin to do this. He represents the 1st congressional district in southeastern Wisconsin.
