House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Tuesday he has already voted for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, though he referred to Mr. Trump as “our nominee” and said he’d be campaigning elsewhere as Mr. Trump swings through Wisconsin later in the day.
“I stand where I’ve stood all fall and all summer,” Mr. Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, said on “Fox and Friends.” “In fact, I already voted here in Janesville for our nominee last week in early voting.”
“We need to support our entire Republican ticket,” he said. “[Clinton] could come in with a Democrat Congress — the worst of all possible things — if Republicans do not turn out and do not vote.”
“I am supporting our entire Republican ticket. I have been all along, which has not changed at all,” he said. “My focus personally right now is saving our House majority.”
Mr. Ryan made the TV appearance with a Ron Johnson sign behind him. Mr. Johnson, a Republican U.S. senator, faces a tough re-election fight in Wisconsin this year.
He said he heard about Mr. Trump’s Tuesday rally in his state “about 10 minutes ago” and that he was already scheduled to be campaigning elsewhere.
“I’m on my way right now to Indiana with one of our members running there, then I’m going to Michigan, then [I go] to New York, then Virginia,” he said. “I’m just criss-crossing the country right now fighting for congressional Republicans, which is my primary responsibility as you know.”
“I haven’t changed anything. I’m just focusing on my primary responsibility, which is saving our House majority,” Mr. Ryan said. “I’ve already got a long schedule that has been long in place fighting for House Republicans, and also Senate Republicans because that’s what the speaker of the House does.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.