Paul Ryan intends to deliver a statement at the Republican National Committee this afternoon that would officially rule him out as a possible candidate for the Republican nomination for president.
“He’s going to rule himself out and put this to rest once and for all,” a senior staffer from Ryan’s office tells Breitbart News.
Ryan has denied interest in the presidential race, but speculation continues about his motives as he pursues his legislative agenda as Speaker.
The message strategy is familiar, as Ryan appears to be following a similar playbook that ended up with him reluctantly accepting the role as Speaker — but on his terms.
“Chairman Ryan appreciates the support he’s getting from his colleagues but is still not running for Speaker,” Ryan’s press team repeated in October as his name refused to go away in Republican conversations about the successor to John Boehner.
Close Ryan allies have whispered denials of Ryan’s interest to reporters while public supporters of his agenda have tried to whip up support for a potential candidacy.
Ryan is likely to deny any interest in the presidential nomination, but he might re-think his position if a ground-swell of donor and party leaders urges him to reconsider.
But Ryan may put to rest rumors of a potential run if he states publicly that he would refuse the nomination, even if the unlikely scenario occurs with a majority of Republican delegates choose him in a brokered convention in Cleveland.
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