Fox News anchor Sean Hannity suggested on election night that Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will not be Speaker of the House next year. Hannity explained that the Republican House leader will pay for his role as part of the mainstream political establishment:
“This is about one thing – they see that Washington is broken. And by the way, Republicans are just as guilty. Paul Ryan is not going to be the speaker of the House in January. I was going to save that for my program tomorrow. He is not going to be the speaker. His state went for Donald Trump tonight. … And now Donald Trump is opening the door and said we’re going to fix it and we’re going to turn that table over. And you know what? I wish him all the best because it’s not going to be easy because all the same people that opposed him in the lead up tonight are going to be opposing him tomorrow.”
Ryan, who represents Wisconsin’s 1st congressional district, has been Speaker of the House since October 2015. Like many Republicans, he was reluctant to embrace his party’s presidential nominee, Donald Trump. After he did, Trump reciprocated and supported Ryan in his reelection bid.
Then, when the “Boys on the Bus” tape surfaced, Ryan distanced himself from the Trump campaign. Trump shot back, calling Ryan a “weak and ineffective leader” guilty of “disloyalty.” Trumpers followed suit and questioned Ryan’s conservative ideals. Several Republican lawmakers have called for new Party leadership with an eye towards Ryan.
But Ryan won his reelection last night, confirming that voters on his home turf, at least, support him. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus has also expressed support for Ryan. And Ryan has signaled that he’s looking forward to continuing his work as Speaker of the House after Congress reconvenes in January.
Viewed from the Left, there’s little difference between Trump and Ryan. As long as the Republicans continue cannibalizing each other, the less effective they will be at implementing their policies. And now that they control the House, the Senate, and the Presidency, that’s about the best we can hope for.
Featured image via YouTube video.
