Scarborough: Paul Ryan Doesn’t Have A Choice, He Has To Run For House Speaker

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MSNBC “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough said Thursday that former vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) needed to “step up” and run for House speaker.

Ryan has repeatedly said he doesn’t want to seek the position John Boehner (R-OH) has been planning to vacate at the end of the month.

McCarthy was a favorite to win the job, but he dropped out of the running on Thursday right before House Republicans were to vote for a nomination.

Ryan has garnered support reportedly from Boehner as well as McCarthy. And Scarborough, a former GOP member of Congress, insisted that Ryan had to run for the position on MSNBC’s “MTP Daily.”

Scarborough called the GOP “chaos.”

“I never believe anybody is an indispensable leader,” Scarborough said. “But I think for this time and this place, not only for the Republican party but also for the conservative movement, they can’t afford to lose the White House for another eight years. Paul Ryan is gonna have to step up. Because there is nobody else in the caucus or in the party that could bring together the conservatives and also bring together the main street Republicans like Paul.”

Scarborough went on to add that he thought Ryan can cut deals and “still have respect.”

“I respect Paul wanting to stay out of this race,” Scarborough added. “At this point, I don’t think it’s up to Paul. He does not have the choice.”

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