House Speaker Paul Ryan hosted more than 100 Republican Party donors at an event in Jackson Hole, Wy., to discuss policy and strategy for congressional campaigns, including looking at how Donald Trump's candidacy might impact House of Representatives races.
Sources told Politico that the mood at the event was not anti-Trump. Former vice president Dick Cheney spoke in support of Trump.
Politico reported that Ryan's predecessor in the speaker job, John Boehner (R-Ohio), began the donor retreat tradition in Jackson Hole. Ryan's national finance chairman, Spencer Zwick organized the event. Zwick built up relationships with Republican donors while he ran Mitt Romney's finance operation during Romney's two presidential campaigns.
Boehner attended the event during his cross-country road trip in support of House Republicans. Other attendees included House majority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), conference chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and National Republican Congressional Committee chairman Greg Walden, according to Politico.
Donors at the event included TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts, mutual fund pioneer Foster Friess and energy executive Joe Craft.
At a Colorado Springs retreat for donors earlier in August, Ryan said that the Republican Party's challenge is "to become a pro-market party and not a pro-business party,"
according to CNN.
Financiers Charles and David Koch sponsored the Colorado retreat, CNN reported.
Ryan did not mention Trump by name at the event, calling the Republican nominee "unique." He called the current political environment "clearly an interesting moment."