The conservative and establishment wings both like him, but Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan so far has insisted he won't be running for House speaker – even after the abrupt withdrawal of Kevin McCarthy on Thursday.
CNN reports that Ryan could be changing his mind, though he has made no public comment in that direction as of Thursday night.
Among the top names hoping Ryan will run are outgoing Speaker John Boehner and McCarthy himself.
Ryan still has small children at home and returns to Wisconsin every weekend to be with them and his wife. The speaker's job would be much more demanding and time-consuming and might not allow for that.
Also, Ryan enjoys his job as chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. He'd have to give that up to become speaker.
"While I am grateful for the encouragement I've received, I will not be a candidate," Ryan said soon after McCarthy's shock announcement that he was dropping out. McCarthy, the current majority leader, was considered the favorite until he bumbled a line on Fox News last week that many took to mean he was saying the Benghazi committee was established to hurt Hillary Clinton's presidential race.
Even before that, McCarthy's support among the tea party wing was weak. He was having trouble getting together the 218 votes needed to secure the speakership.
Ryan, on the other hand, has supporters across the spectrum. He was a volunteer for Boehner's campaign long before he entered politics himself and the two remain friends.
"He's seen as an individual who has broad support across the entire conference. He’s a clear thinker and great communicator,"Rep. Tom Price, chairman of the House Budget Committee, told
The Daily Beast.
Benghazi committee chairman Trey Gowdy also is said to be twisting Ryan's arm, but said it might not be easy.
"You cannot sell someone on this, you have to persuade them. And the people who persuade you the most in life are people who you think have your best interests in mind. So that’s why you talk to friends," Gowdy told the Daily Beast. "You have to have a frank, honest conversation about where he is in life and what the expectations for that job are right now."
Rep. David Nunes told Buzzfeed's
Tarini Parti that Ryan is "the only path forward at this point."
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