House Speaker Paul Ryan broke from his traditional silence on the GOP primary on Tuesday and called out Donald Trump for his refusal to disavow the alleged endorsement of white supremacist David Duke.
“If a person wants to be the nominee of the Republican Party, there can be no evasion and no games,” Ryan said. “They must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry. This party does not prey on people’s prejudices. We appeal to their highest ideals. We are the party of Lincoln. We believe all people are created equal in the eyes of God and the law.”
Ryan rarely brings up the primary, even though he is peppered with questions about the race regularly from the Capitol Hill media.
His comments Tuesday came after Trump, in a Sunday talk show interview, refused to reject an endorsement by Duke, even though he said “I disavow” on Friday when asked about Duke at a campaign rally in Texas. After the Sunday show, Trump took to Twitter to reiterate his Friday rejection of Duke’s endorsement.
After Ryan delivered his indirect warning to Trump, he told reporters, “I hope this is the last time I have to speak out on this race.”
Ryan was the GOP’s vice presidential nominee in 2012 and will serve as chair of the Republican National Convention in July, where delegates will officially vote for the party’s 2016 presidential nominee.
Ryan could play a pivotal role if there is a convention battle over the nomination.
Trump is poised to win most or all of the states voting on Super Tuesday, but many conservatives are growing increasingly uncomfortable with Trump as the nominee. Ryan acknowledged that the primary has divided the party, but rejected the idea that the damage is irreparable.
“I never believe that our party is beyond the point of repair,” Ryan told reporters. He said that despite the primary fracas, House Republicans would put out their own agenda to give voters a “clear and compelling” reason to vote for GOP candidates.
