Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin Republican and the GOP’s 2012 vice presidential nominee, said Wednesday morning that he’s “keeping his options open” for a potential presidential run in 2016.
“Look, [I’ve] got an important job to do; we’re in the majority in the House — we’ve got to make this divided government work, as uncomfortable as it can be, and then after this session, I’m going to keep my options open and figure it out then,” Mr. Ryan said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
Mr. Ryan, who chairs the House Budget Committee, turned 44 years old Wednesday. He recently worked with his Senate counterpart Patty Murray, Washington Democrat, to hammer out a short-term bipartisan budget deal.
Later, on MSNBC’s “The Daily Rundown,” he elaborated on his previously announced position that he doesn’t plan to pursue becoming Speaker of the House someday.
“In Congress, I am here in Washington four days a week, and I’m at home three days a week with my family — our kids are 9, 10, and 11,” he said. “With Speaker, you’re not even doing that. We realized as vice president, if that would have happened, I would have seen my family even more than being a member of Congress.
“As Speaker of the House, it goes the other direction — I would see my family even less,” he continued. “And at this stage in my life, with the young kids that we have, I just don’t want to do that.”
He said he likes being a policymaker and a committee chairman and can make a big difference in Congress that way while still getting to spend weekends with his family.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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