House Budget Chair Paul Ryan (R-WI) revealed in an interview with TIME magazine published Wednesday who he thinks might succeed John Boehner as House Speaker.
The article by Belinda Luscombe (most of which is behind a paywall) featured this exchange:
TIME: Who do you see succeeding John Boehner?
RYAN: You’d have to put Jeb Hensarling high on the list. I prefer the policy-chairmanship route. [Speaker of the House] is a good job for an empty nester.
Rep. Hensarling is a staunch conservative who has served since 2003 and represents a safe Republican district in Texas. He’s currently the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and previously served as the House Republican Conference Chair. He has been drafted to run for Boehner’s position by prominent right-wing advocates, though he remains coy about his intentions.
Hensarling, of course, isn’t next in line for the job; that would be House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), a Ryan ally.