U.S. Speaker (R-Wis.) is retiring at the end of this Congress, ending his speakership a little more than three years after it began and as the GOP faces a possible loss of its majority this fall.
Ryan’s office says he will serve out his term and retire from Congress in January. He is expected to speak publicly about the decision at 10 a.m.
“This morning Speaker Ryan shared with his colleagues that this will be his last year as a member of the House,” Brendan Buck, counselor to Ryan, said in a statement.
“He will serve out his full term, run through the tape, and then retire in January,” Buck said. “After nearly twenty years in the House, the speaker is proud of all that has been accomplished and is ready to devote more of his time to being a husband and a father. While he did not seek the position, he told his colleagues that serving as speaker has been the professional honor of his life, and he thanked them for the trust they placed in him. He will discuss his decision at a press conference immediately following the member meeting.”
Rumors have been swirling for months that Ryan could step down at the end of this Congress, but a formal announcement was not expected before Election Day given the negative signal the retirement would send for GOP hopes of keeping the House majority.
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