I found myself in an odd place over the past week, as somebody who is both a big proponent of Rep. Paul Ryan’s efforts to push serious proposals to tackle our long-term debt burden, and also a big skeptic of the idea of him running for president at this point in his career. Stephen Hayes is now reporting that Ryan has definitively decided against the idea.
“I sincerely appreciate the support from those eager to chart a brighter future for the next generation,” Ryan said, according to Hayes. “While humbled by the encouragement, I have not changed my mind, and therefore I am not seeking our party’s nomination for President. I remain hopeful that our party will nominate a candidate committed to a pro-growth agenda of reform that restores the promise and prosperity of our exceptional nation. I remain grateful to those I serve in Southern Wisconsin for the unique opportunity to advance this effort in Congress.”
That’s what he’s saying publicly, and according to Hayes, “In private meetings with fundraisers and conservative movement leaders he expressed skepticism that he could win, and raised concerns about the toll a race would take on his family.”
That’s consistent with what I’ve argued here. In his current job as chairman of the House Budget Committee, Ryan is in a prime position to influence the debate over our nation’s broken entitlement system. Given the long odds of actually winning the presidency, he’d be taking a huge risk by running — potentially setting back his own cause, while sacrificing the ability to have a semblance of a normal family life while his kids are still young.
Ryan still has plenty of years to run for president if he’d like to do it some day. In fact, even if he waited until 2032, and still be younger than Mitt Romney is now.
