Chatter grows that Ryan could step down

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill

By Scott Wong - 11/03/16 05:17 PM EDT

Chatter is growing louder on Capitol Hill that Paul Ryan’s days as Speaker are numbered.

Four House Republicans, including a senior lawmaker close to leadership, told The Hill they expect Ryan to step down after Tuesday’s election, arguing that he faces a daunting path to the 218 votes he needs to win a full two-year term leading the House GOP.

Aides to the Wisconsin Republican insist he isn’t going anywhere and say he’s completely focused right now on protecting the GOP’s historic majority in the lower chamber. “The Speaker's only focus until Election Day is defeating Democrats and protecting our majority, and nothing else,” said Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong.

But even some Ryan allies are conceding that the Speaker now finds himself in an untenable position after just a year on the job. It’s not just the usual Freedom Caucus troublemakers who are pushing for change at the top; some more mainstream Republicans from safe GOP districts could pull their support over Ryan’s handling of GOP nominee Donald Trump, lawmakers said.

-snip-

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/304245-chatter-grows-that-ryan-could-step-down

[AmericanActivist]

1. More evidence of Republican Party problems nm

[DFW]

2. I think that is only going to happen if they lose the House.

He'll want to lead the opposition if he's still speaker. If the election result says he's no longer the Speaker as of January 2, I doubt he'll see much point in remaining until the bitter end.

[SoCalMusicLover]

5. Are They Thinking They Might Lose House?

I think there is a greater chance of him staying if they hold Congress, even if Trump loses.

Wasn't he brought in, because there was nobody else who could get enough support? Won't that still hold true?

Besides, leading the House through stagnation for the next 2 years is going to be easy. He can just fight Hillary at every turn, and the repub base will love him for it.

[DFW]

12. They are probably thinking they won't lose the House

Otherwise, he well might have thrown down his gavel long before now.

[mdbl]

3. So all the deplorables in the house

no longer like Ryan? Go figure. He's tried to be just like them except when it comes to Trump's really heinous comments.

[SammyWinstonJack]

24. Deplorables, I just love that. Thank you Hillary.

[mdbl]

28. Actually a "basket of deporables"

I love that even better LOL

[SammyWinstonJack]

30. Dumpster full of Deplorables even better.

[canuckledragger]

4. Good.

It's not like he's done anything productive since he took the position...and it makes me nervous to have a greedy, self-centered pathological lying sociopath like him 3rd in line for the presidency.

[SoCalMusicLover]

8. What Makes You Think Someone Sane Will Replace Him?

I always wonder how people here push and pray for someone the likes of Ryan to be replaced. By who? There is NEVER going to be someone from that side who the Democrats find palatable.

Seriously....people were practically falling over themselves cheering when Boehner left, and that lasted a few days before people here started complaining about Ryan as the replacement.

Point is, the speaker is going to be someone you find "greedy, self-centered, and a pathological lying sociopath." Whether it's Gingrich, Boehner, Ryan, or some other repub, and then you'll probably end up looking back and saying....."well, compared to so and so, Ryan was not so bad after all.

[Chemisse]

9. That is a good point, BUT

Ryan is the party's golden boy and clearly headed for a presidential run. Anything that sullies his reputation is a good thing for us.

[Upin]

25. He can turn it into a win either way...

Fought the good fight and 'everyone knows' that he tried to stop the pending Trump disaster etc.. etc..

I think it's worse for him if Trump wins. Republicans will almost certainly continue to control the House after Tuesday.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

10. Probably not

More likely someone nuttier and more extreme.

[COLGATE4]

27. A potential replacement would be Chaffetz!

Imagine if he were Leader of the House!!!!!

[StevieM]

6. I expect that Jason Chaffetz will succeed him as Speaker.

Republicans will reward him for violating the Hatch Act and deceiving the American people.

[FSogol]

7. When current events (and his party) needed some backbone, Ryan proved to be spineless.

Ciao, Ryan. I'm sure there are some clean dishes somewhere your family can pretend to wash.

[DonCoquixote]

11. why would be do that

when he would be the person Hillary talks to, it would be stupid. That being said, the GOP IS stupid.

[tinrobot]

13. Rock, meet hard place.

The deplorables blame him for not doing enough to elect Trump.

The rest blame him for not doing enough to stop Trump.

[leanforward]

14. Glad to see this thread.

I've been thinking for several weeks, that Ryan's time is short. They will need 218 votes, for the new speaker. Can they get it? It seems to me they might not get to that number. What happens if they can't get there.

Is there negotiation with Nancy? Sure, in the past Speaker election, there has been descent, but when the majority number is reduced what happens now?

To maintain the Speaker election majority, what will the GOP gentlemen and women have to give up to elect a new Speaker. The times are changing. I keep thinking Madame Nancy and her entourage may enter into the fray. Do you think?

[Midnight Writer]

15. More gameplay. It is an attention threat to GOP. He just wants to discourage opposition.

"Be nice to me or I will not play anymore."

[dalton99]

16. Musical chairs in the padded room

[TrollBuster9090]

21. Ryan doesn't want to be the "cook" who goes down with the ship.

[lindysalsagal]

23. Re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

With a dumpster fire.

[moonscape]

17. I hope not. The alternatives are so much worse.

John Boehner is surely glad he's out of there.

[Cosmocat]

18. RIGHT? Ryan is a low grade asshat

As a republican wrong on everything, and a true believer in all things Ayn Rand.

But, sadly, in the year 2016, I find myself desperately hoping he can maintain his position because in this day and age he passes for what would be one of the ever shrinking number of republicans that aren't complete bat shit crazy.

[kwenu]

19. Can't blame Ryan for quitting but there is plenty more crazy

in the GOP House that could pop up to replace him.

[TrollBuster9090]

20. That's because Trump is going to blame Ryan for his election loss.

Trump is setting Ryan and a bunch of other GOP establishment types up to be the fall guys when he loses the election. That was obvious as soon as Trumps followers started chanting "Paul Ryan Sucks" at his rally in Wisconsin. No way is Ryan going to hang around and be a punching bag for disgruntled Trump followers after the election.

The only question left is: Will Ryan sing ZIPPITY DO DA on the way out, the way Boehner did?

[lindysalsagal]

22. GOP is so rancid they can't even stand each other.