http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/ryan-vows-to-support-a-trump-or-cruz-nom/article/2580515Ryan pledges to support a Trump or Cruz nomination
By Susan Ferrechio (@susanferrechio) • 1/14/16 3:17 PM
BALTIMORE — House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday that Republican lawmakers plan to support whoever wins the Republican nomination for president, even if it's Donald Trump or Sen. Ted Cruz.
Ryan, R-Wis., briefed reporters alongside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., at the GOP annual retreat, where lawmakers plotted their 2016 legislative agenda.
"Yes, we are going to support whoever our nominee is," Ryan said. "Know why? Because it's the Republican primary voter that makes that decision. And that's what we respect."
Ryan called questions about a brokered Republican National Convention "ridiculous," adding, "How do I know? Nobody knows the answer to that."
McConnell said he would work to keep presidential politics out of the Senate.
"As a general rule, what I've tried to ask the Senate to do is let the presidential candidates run their race and let's try to do the people's business," McConnell said.
But McConnell and Ryan said they "had a hand" in choosing South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley to give the GOP response to Obama's final State of the Union Address on Tuesday. Haley used the address to lob criticism at Trump, the national front-runner.
"We think she gave a great speech," Ryan said. "What she is ultimately trying to do is talk about how we need to have a message that is inspiring, that is inclusive, hopeful, optimistic and that unites the country. We don't want to have another president like this one, that divides the country. We want to unite. That means listening to all voices, those that are frustrated, those who are inspiring, all of the above."
Ryan said the GOP will produce an agenda for 2016 to present to the public and whoever wins the nomination. "We think can help carry that forward," he said.
