Capitol Hill : Paul Ryan quits

The most senior Republican on Capitol Hill is leaving Congress
Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has announced that he would not seek re-election in November’s midterm elections.  To those who might be speculating as to the reasons for his departure, he added that his uneasy relationship with Mr Trump had nothing to do with the decision.

However, it appears Mr Ryan has opened a path to challenging Mr Trump in 2020 for a higher office: the presidency itself.

The soon-departing Speaker had disagreed with the White House over the president’s protectionist trade policies.  He once condemned remarks that Mr Trump made about Mexicans as “the textbook definition of racist”.  Not unexpectedly, Mr Ryan will continue fundraising for other candidates in the coming elections.

President Trump tweeted yesterday:
“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!”