# Politico: Paul Ryan retiring in 2018 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 14, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514 "2017-12-14T17:41:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/21 "2017-12-14T21:18:41Z")
I was thinking that Scott Walker might have something to say about Ryan running for governor - haven’t looked at the polls in a while but my guess is that Walker would probably beat Ryan and I’m guessing Ryan knows that. If Ryan leaves, it’s probably because he either foreshadows the GOP becoming the party of Bannon and Trump, and he might fear getting successfully primaried out of his seat a la Eric Cantor - or he knows it’s already the party of Bannon and Trump and he wants to get out before the party smashes into a wall. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/22 "2017-12-14T21:29:15Z")
The ‘leaving January 2019’ fits just fine with ‘not leaving anytime soon,’ so if I were to bet, I’d bet he’ll leave. The next year and more will be extremely ugly. Trump will drag many down with him, and a fair proportion of those will be congressional Republicans. Ryan is ambitious. He will look for a way to disassociate himself with the coming debacle. Since Walker does look reasonably good in the next Wisconsin gubernatorial contest, Ryan may be thinking of making a pile of money in the private sector–he’s seen how well the perception of ‘being a rich guy, being smart at business’ helped Trump. Then it’s on to either the Governorship or Senator-from-Wisconsin, then the White House. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/23 "2017-12-14T22:03:38Z")
and Jimmy Kimmel Tweets while linking to a CNN report with the headline, “Paul Ryan ‘soul searching,’ possible he could leave after 2018 election.” Search all you want, you won’t ever find it [http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/14/politics/paul-ryan-future/index.html](https://t.co/jy2fhtoIMT) — Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) December 14, 2017 ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/24 "2017-12-14T23:55:55Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I agree, I suspect he’ll go for the Governor as a setup for a run at President. He has a far better shot at becoming President as Speaker of the House. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/25 "2017-12-15T00:08:02Z")
Lately it seems as if he’s either bored or thoroughly discussed with trump as he sits there, behind trump, on the stage looking like he has severe abdominal cramps. I think the man has come to his senses. Get as far as he can from trump. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/26 "2017-12-15T00:32:24Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > He has a far better shot at becoming President as Speaker of the House. Very likely he won’t be Speaker of the House after 2018. Is House Minority Leader really a better springboard than a governorship? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/27 "2017-12-15T01:41:24Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > \*House Speaker says he’s not leaving Congress anytime soon - > > WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Paul Ryan says he’s not leaving Congress anytime soon. > > The Wisconsin Republican was asked Thursday about rumors suggesting he might leave his job soon after the GOP passes a rewrite of the U.S. tax code. > > Asked by a reporter if he’s quitting anytime soon, Ryan chuckled and said, “I’m not. No.”\* > > [House Speaker Paul Ryan says he's not leaving Congress soon | AP News](https://apnews.com/f0bdaeb5bbf543e69a847bdaed4074a6/House-Speaker-says-he's-not-leaving-Congress-anytime-soon) > > It looks like Politico is full of shit. SSDD. Politico says Ryan is quitting vs Ryan says Ryan’s not quitting. Does this _Ryan quitting_ news story qualify as fake news? No, it isn’t fake news. No one is making up a story about Ryan running a prostitution ring out of a pizza parlor. Writers and especially political bloggers spend a lot of time speculating as to what politicians might be doing. I’m not familiar with this writer so I don’t know if he writes stories based on things that some intern picked up at a Christmas party or perhaps he’s heard a lot more. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/28 "2017-12-15T02:35:35Z")
I can’t imagine he would run against Walker, and 2018 is not looking like an auspicious year to be running against Democratic incumbents. My guess, if he does in fact resign, it will be either to become an obscenely wealthy lobbyist or run against Trump in the 2020 primary. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/29 "2017-12-15T03:48:12Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > It looks like Politico is full of shit. SSDD. Politico says Ryan is quitting vs Ryan says Ryan’s not quitting. Does this _Ryan quitting_ news story qualify as fake news? Is that what was Politico saying? Because I read the whole article and I don’t recall once seeing where it said he was quitting or even leaving office before his term expired. So where in the article did you see that they wrote that Paul Ryan was quitting? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/30 "2017-12-15T04:33:02Z")
The Ryan camp is clearly floating a rumor to evaluate public reception to a supposed ‘retirement’. This is no more ‘fake news’ than any other pundit speculation, and frankly, it would be a smart move for Ryan to both distance himself from Trump and the overall GOP mess, and then come back after the dust has settled as a ‘reformer’, notwithstanding that he his one of the primary shit-stirrers to begin with. The only thing the American public loves more than a purported underdog is a comeback story, and Ryan can ride both narratives if he does it right, because the city is flying, we’re fighting robots, and none of this makes any sense. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/31 "2017-12-15T06:43:41Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > The Ryan camp is clearly floating a rumor to evaluate public reception to a supposed ‘retirement’. This is no more ‘fake news’ than any other pundit speculation… Given the number of sources, this story has “Trial balloon” written all over it. Yeah, Ryan isn’t leaving soon: he’s leaving in early 2019. > [@Sherrerd](#): > > Ryan is ambitious. Not according to my read of the evidence. He wasn’t exactly eager to take the speakership and publicly demanded an easier workload with free weekends. I’m guessing he’s angling for a cushy lobbyist job. The existing tax package is wildly unpopular with experts as well as the public. Refusing to hold public hearings and rushing the details guarantees that it will be riddled with loopholes and general screwups. This is bad for his political future, but great for landing a lobbying position or Koch sinecure. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/32 "2017-12-15T06:53:33Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > It looks like Politico is full of shit. SSDD. Politico says Ryan is quitting vs Ryan says Ryan’s not quitting. Does this _Ryan quitting_ news story qualify as fake news? Hey, remember when Ryan said that he wouldn’t be House Speaker? Good times… good times… ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/33 "2017-12-15T14:15:03Z")
Why would he stay? The only thing he cares about, cutting taxes for the rich, is coming to pass. He has no earthly interest in any other piece of legislation. All he does by staying will be trying to herd cats in the House which will have nothing on its plate for the next year. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/34 "2017-12-15T14:30:03Z")
From 2015: > [@](#): > > Ryan, currently the chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, had a succinct, one-word answer when asked if he wanted to succeed Boehner, following the Speaker’s stunning resignation on Friday morning: “No.” > > Asked why, the Wisconsin Republican said “Because I don’t want to be Speaker.” > > “This is a job for an empty nester,” Ryan told reporters on Friday. > > Ryan also declined to run for president earlier this year, saying he wanted to give his “undivided attention” to being Ways and Means chairman. [CITE](http://thehill.com/homenews/house/254920-paul-ryan-wont-run-for-speaker) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/35 "2017-12-15T15:11:24Z")
> [@ricksummon](#): > > Does this mean that “Iron Stache” Randy Bryce can take Paul Ryan’s seat in 2018? Can’t remember who tweeted yesterday something like "2000 words in Politico about why Ryan may retire, and not one of them is “Randy” or “Bryce.” I think he had a pretty good chance anyway, especially the way 2018 is shaping up to be a wave year, and I’m sure Ryan knows he’s got a good chance of being swept out. ---
**Author:** ![Chetumal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@Chetumal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chetumal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/36 "2017-12-15T17:18:11Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Why would he stay? The only thing he cares about, cutting taxes for the rich, is coming to pass. He has no earthly interest in any other piece of legislation. He won’t leave until he guts Medicaid and yanks healthcare away from tens of millions of poor people. After all, he’s [“been dreaming about cutting Medicaid for a long time—apparently ever since he was drinking at DC keg parties.”](http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/03/paul-ryan-says-hes-been-dreaming-medicaid-cuts-ever-his-keg-party-days/) ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/37 "2017-12-15T18:34:01Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > and Jimmy Kimmel Tweets while linking to a CNN report with the headline, “Paul Ryan ‘soul searching,’ possible he could leave after 2018 election.” > > Search all you want, you won’t ever find it [http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/14/politics/paul-ryan-future/index.html](https://t.co/jy2fhtoIMT) > > — Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) December 14, 2017 There’s a joke in there somewhere about what a long and arduous search it would be for Paul Ryan to FIND his soul. But I’m not going to make it. No, sir. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/38 "2017-12-15T18:51:52Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > The Ryan camp is clearly floating a rumor to evaluate public reception to a supposed ‘retirement’. > [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Given the number of sources, this story has “Trial balloon” written all over it. It’s also possible he’s working on an exit strategy. If Republican poll numbers continue to sink and it becomes clear that the 2018 election is going to be a disaster for them, Ryan can simply follow through on the existing rumors and confirm that he’s been planning to retire all along and deny that he’s being driven out of office. The classic “You can’t fire me. I quit.” ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/39 "2017-12-15T22:34:59Z")
Sure, but it isn’t as if Ryan is going to get out of politics and just be a lobbyist or go lecture ineffectually at some Objectivist think tank. Ryan is young, presentable, well-spoken, and before accepting (read: being forced into) the job of Speaker of the House, had good popularity rankings in both his district and overall. Distancing himself from the current mess while rehabilitating his image gives him a good chance to “rebrand” his agenda as some kind of new fix-it plan for all that ails the nation, even though his agenda is pretty much the same “burn it all down” plan as the current efforts to remove protections and entitlements. Given how things are going with Trump it seems quite likely that the GOP may pretty much abandon him after the 2018 elections (or perhaps even before if he continues to undercut support), which means they’ll need a viable presidential candidate for 2020. And that won’t be anyone associated with Trump, nor likely any of the also-rans from the 2016 Republican primary. So look at the people who are or have reason to be critics, distancing themselves from the current mess (Corker, Flake, Sasse, potentially Ryan) as angling for 2020. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514/40 "2017-12-16T01:46:53Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Why would he stay? The only thing he cares about, cutting taxes for the rich, is coming to pass. He has no earthly interest in any other piece of legislation. All he does by staying will be trying to herd cats in the House which will have nothing on its plate for the next year. Actually, according to something I read in the Votemaster, he has been on a campaign to end social security since college days. > [@](#): > > When Ryan was in college, his friends dreamed of meeting Pamela Anderson, but he dreamed of privatizing Social Security. Ever since he got elected to Congress in 1999, he has had two obsessions: reforming the tax system and slashing entitlements. With a bit of luck, he may achieve the first one this year and may make a do-or-die effort to achieve the second one next year. If he does (or becomes convinced that it is impossible), he may decide there is no point in being in Congress any more and retire after his current term is finished. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politico-paul-ryan-retiring-in-2018/804514.md?page=3)