Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) said on Friday morning that believes Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) will consider running for speaker over the weekend after numerous members of the House Republican conference have said that he is the congressman who could best unite the party as speaker.
Paul has repeatedly said that he does not want to be speaker and would prefer to stay on as chair of the House Ways and Means Committee.
“I am not a candidate for speaker. Paul Ryan is not a candidate for speaker. The difference is, there is a resounding amount of support in the conference for Paul Ryan to agree to be the speaker, and I’m part of that team that’s trying to get him to be a speaker,” Issa told reporters in the Capitol on Friday. “All of us have to consider serving if Paul won’t, but right now we’re campaigning for Paul Ryan.”
Issa was then asked if Ryan will reconsider running for speaker despite his insistence that he does not want the job.
“Paul Ryan answered the call when he was called by Mitt Romney to consider being vice president, and I believe he’s going home this weekend to soul search with his family about whether or not he can in fact accept this job — a job he doesn’t want, he isn’t seeking, but is seeking him,” Issa replied.
Issa later noted that even some members of the House Freedom Caucus, the conservative group of congressmen who endorsed Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL) for speaker over House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), have said they would support Ryan’s bid for speaker.
“That’s a very good sign after the strained relations that John Boehner has had with that same caucus,” Issa said.
Issa said earlier on Friday that he would “potentially” consider running for speaker.
Watch Issa’s remarks:
