House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy told NBC reporter Luke Russert on Thursday that he “hopes” former vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) runs for House speaker.
Ryan has repeatedly said that he does not want to run for 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.
Russert tweeted the comments from McCarthy:
McCarthy just told me Paul Ryan would be a “fantastic candidate” and he “hopes” Ryan runs for Speaker. #GOP
— Luke Russert (@LukeRussert) October 8, 2015