GOP leaders signaling they expect to lose midterm elections

The three most important Republicans in Washington have each in their own way signaled qualms about their Capitol Hill majorities.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is the latest with his announcement that he is not seeking re-election. While family was a major motivating factor in Ryan’s decision, it was a not a vote of confidence in his party’s ability to retain him the speaker’s gavel — and the timing was not conducive to Republicans’ 2018 midterm electoral fortunes.