By Robert Laurie ——Bio and Archives--December 14, 2017
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“There’s a whole lot of rumors and speculation that the speaker may step aside,” one GOP member told HuffPost this week, a sentiment that was expressed by a number of Republicans who, perhaps tellingly, wouldn’t go on the record to speak about Ryan’s future. The Wisconsin Republican has made no indication he’s quitting any time soon, but the possibility that Ryan finishes the tax bill and decides he no longer wants to continue in Congress has begun to loom over internal Republican conversations. When the House Freedom Caucus gathered Monday night, members spent part of their meeting discussing a theory circulating on Capitol Hill and among the downtown Christmas parties that Ryan may believe he’s harpooned his personal white whale of tax reform and decide he’s finished.
Despite several landmark legislative wins this year, and a better-than-expected relationship with President Donald Trump, Ryan has made it known to some of his closest confidants that this will be his final term as speaker. He consults a small crew of family, friends and staff for career advice, and is always cautious not to telegraph his political maneuvers. But the expectation of his impending departure has escaped the hushed confines of Ryan’s inner circle and permeated the upper-most echelons of the GOP. In recent interviews with three dozen people who know the speaker—fellow lawmakers, congressional and administration aides, conservative intellectuals and Republican lobbyists—not a single person believed Ryan will stay in Congress past 2018.Again, given Ryan's history, this is not particularly surprising. Ryan's office issued a non-denial-denial this afternoon that did little to lower the raised eyebrows:
Of course, no one is suggesting that Ryan won't be working to advance a conservative agenda in 2018. They're suggesting 2018 will be the last year he does so. We'll see what happens but, if you're looking for tea leaves, I'd keep a close eye on statements Ryan makes after the passage (or non-passage) of tax reform this week. If they have an "air of finality" about them, it's a good bet that the rumors are true and he'll start maneuvering toward the door.From @SpeakerRyan's office: "Speaker Ryan is fully committed to advancing a bold conservative agenda in 2018 and protecting the majority. Any gossip to the contrary is completely baseless and without merit.” #PaulRyan #Politico #notretiring
— Kevin Corke (@kevincorke) December 14, 2017
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