Paul Ryan has his House Republican colleagues thoroughly confused about whether or not he will run for speaker.
An unusual Tuesday night meeting of the House GOP conference might provide clarity — or it might not. “I heard one person tell me that he’s going to make an announcement tonight that he’s in,” a House Republican tells National Review. “And I heard another person tell me that he’s going to make an announcement tomorrow morning that he’s not. So, go figure. Both [are] members who assert that they’ve spoken to him.”
Ryan has been under heavy pressure to jump into the speaker’s race ever since House majority leader Kevin McCarthy withdrew from contention, but he has always declined such leadership opportunities in the past. If he runs, most lawmakers agree that the gavel is his for the taking. If he doesn’t, House Republicans would be left in a free-for-all speaker’s race without a clear favorite.