Trump later said that he was not ready to endorse Ryan in an interview with The Washington Post. Then Donald Trump got involved. Ryan’s huge financial advantage has allowed him to blanket the airwaves with ads, and he made the rounds on influential conservative talk radio stations as Trump threatened to steal the spotlight.
Advertisement
“I am humbled and honored that Wisconsinites in the 1st Congressional District support my efforts to keep fighting on their behalf”, Ryan said in a statement Tuesday night. Ryan’s race was the unexpected focus just a week after GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump threw a burst of publicity toward his little-known and inexperienced opponent, Nehlen. As it turned out, that positive rating nearly perfectly predicted Ryan’s share of the primary vote Tuesday.
A steady stream of voters turn at Franklin City Hall in Milwaukee, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016 to vote.
Ryan took over his speaker position after John Boehner retired in 2015.
Despite Trump complimenting Nehlen on running a good campaign and tweeting his thanks for Nehlen’s support, the congressional hopeful was banned from attending Friday’s campaign event.
“Speaker Ryan’s commitment to faithfully representing the people of Wisconsin and making the case for conservatism have never changed, and his years of principled public service make him a trusted leader in our party”, Priebus said. Trump relented a few days later.
Ryan will face the victor of Tuesday’s Democratic primary between former Army captain Ryan Solen and plumbing engineer Tom Breu in November.
“I don’t think it means he’s doomed in November”, Ryan replied, arguing that his strong victory over a primary challenger just reflected his deep local roots. Nehlen was backed by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) and conservative commentator Ann Coulter, and ran to the right of Ryan, The Associated Press reports; he also said if Ryan wouldn’t debate him, he should at least arm wrestle him.
Ryan won by about 70 percentage points, based on unofficial results. “The outcome is exactly what we were hoping for”.
Ryan was also asked about the latest Trump controversy, the nominee’s suggestion Tuesday that gun owners could stop Democrat Hillary Clinton’s agenda if she won this fall.
Advertisement
Nehlen was a longshot: Polls in Wisconsin consistently showed Ryan hovering above 80% support. He said it sounded like a “joke gone bad”, saying, “I hope he clears it up very quickly”.
