House Speaker Paul Ryan waded into the 2016 presidential election fray once against Tuesday after a weekend where the party’s frontrunner Donald Trump refused to disavow Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke during a television appearance.
Ryan, who has been hesitant to weigh in on the politics of the presidential cycle, said that when he sees something that “runs counter” to the ideals of the GOP he is going to speak up.
“If a person wants to be a nominee of the Republican Party there can be no evasion and no games. They must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry,” Ryan said. “The Republican Party does not prey on people’s prejudices.”
Ryan went on to say that he hopes the GOP would “appeal to their highest ideals.This is the party of Lincoln.”
“If someone wants to be our nominee they must understand this,” Ryan said.
