US House Speaker Paul Ryan to not stand for another term
Washington, Apr 12 (IBNS): In a massive setback for US President Donald Trump and the Republicans, House Speaker Paul Ryan has announced that he will not stand for another term, reports said.
The mid-term elections are scheduled for November.
Ryan cited family-related issues for his decision.
He is one among the 30 House republicans who have decided to retire.
"You all know that I did not seek this job. I took it reluctantly," he was quoted as saying.
"But I have given this job everything. I have no regrets whatsoever for having accepted this responsibility.
"But the truth is it's easy for it to take over everything in your life and you can't just let that happen," he added.
Ryan said he will retire in January 2019, after the completion of his congressional term.
Meanwhile, some commentators have said that Ryan's decision to step down stemmed out of his desire to flee a sinking ship.
"The speaker will frame his decision as one of putting family first - and, with young children, the fundraising and legislative duties of the office are burdensome - but it's impossible not to view the move in a larger political context. He's had frequent clashes with Donald Trump, and their differences - in temperament and policy - continue to be stark," BBC News' Anthony Zurcher said in a political analysis.
"Rather than go down with the ship - or perhaps suffer the same fate as Tom Foley in 1994, the last sitting speaker to lose a re-election race - Mr Ryan is reserving his seat on a lifeboat. He's not the first congressional Republican to do so, and with the top man leading the way, more are sure to follow," the analysis read.
Ryan too had in the past accepted that he and US President Donald Trump were 'very different people'.
"I'm from the upper Midwest. I'm not from New York, we're from a different generation. So we have different styles," he told CNN.
Reacting to Ryan's looming exit, Trump hailed him as a good man, who legacy will live on.
"Speaker Paul Ryan is a truly good man, and while he will not be seeking re-election, he will leave a legacy of achievement that nobody can question. We are with you Paul!" the US President tweeted on Wednesday.
Targeting the Republicans, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said that Ryan's exit will be followed by more step-downs from Republicans.
"Stay tuned for more retirements as Republicans increasingly realise that their midterm prospects are doomed," the committee said.
Image: speaker.gov
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