SPEAKER PAUL RYAN RULES HIMSELF OUT OF PRESIDENTIAL RACE

By Miriam Raftery

April 12, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – For weeks, speculation has been rampant that Republicans might try to name Paul Ryan as a compromise candidate for the presidency if the party has a contested convention, with neither Donald Trump nor Ted Cruz receiving enough delegates for a clear win.

But on Tuesday, Ryan held a press conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters to announce unequivocally that he will not be in the running. “Let me be clear: I do not want nor will I accept the nomination of our party,” he stated.

Ryan previously served as vice presidential nominee in 2012.  He will be chairing this year’s national convention and emphasized that he believes delegates should be limited to casting votes only for actual candidates. 

That would limit the choices to Trump, Cruz, or potentially John Kasich, who is running a distant third, if neither of the frontrunners could secure enough votes on a first or subsequent ballot.