After rumors circulated for months, an aide confirmed early Wednesday that U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan will not seek re-election,
“This morning Speaker Ryan shared with his colleagues that this will be his last year as a member of the House,” said Brendan Buck, a top Ryan aide. “He will serve out his full term, run through the tape, and then retire in January.”
Ryan, R-Wis., now joins a sizable number of other veteran Republicans who have announced their retirement.
Many sources reported the top House Republican would retire after passing the tax reform bill, a career ambition of his.
In his wake, Ryan leaves a seat up for grabs, as the only other Republican running in his district is a vocal white supremacist and Holocaust denier, while Democrats field a competitive primary between ironworker Randy Bryce and teacher Cathy Myers.
Speaker Paul Ryan is a truly good man, and while he will not be seeking re-election, he will leave a legacy of achievement that nobody can question. We are with you Paul!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2018
