House Speaker Paul Ryan on Thursday deflected more questions about the rising popularity of presidential candidate Donald Trump, but did say House Republicans will promote their own message early next year rather than wait for their party’s presidential nominee to define the GOP.
“I don’t think we have the time to wait until a nomination arrives to then come up with an agenda to show America who we are and what we believe in,” Ryan said.
While nominations have been wrapped up long before the conventions in past election years, Republicans fear it will take longer to pick the nominee this time around. Some have even suggested the GOP will have to resolve the nominating process themselves at the July Republican National Convention.
Ryan acknowledged Thursday the GOP presidential ticket may not be decided “until June or July.” He also noted that as the chairman of the RNC, he must remain neutral before the process is settled.
But Ryan did tell reporters how he plans to manage a potential Trump nomination.
“I stay neutral and support the nominee, all the while I stand up for what I believe, I’ll stand up for what is right and I’ll stand up for our party’s principles and our nation’s principles,” Ryan said.
As part of that effort, House Republicans will hold a retreat in January to map out their agenda, Ryan said. “We are going to do this earlier because I think it’s wrong to wait that long,” Ryan said.
But Ryan said he’ll support the nominee, no matter who wins. “Isn’t it going to be a little weird if the chairman of the convention doesn’t support the nominee?” Ryan said.
In a rare move this week, House Republican leaders publicly denounced a proposal by Trump to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States. Both Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Trump’s comments do not reflect the views of the Republican Party.
Trump is leading all other GOP presidential candidates by a significant margin, putting GOP lawmakers in the difficult position of opposing the views of their top contender. In one poll, 68 percent of Trump supporters said they would back him as an Independent candidate, which would almost certainly cost the GOP nominee significant support.
