House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) announced his decision to not seek re-election in November and retire from Congress in January.
Speaker Ryan made the announcement during his a press conference on Wednesday. His decision is a major blow to the Republican Party, which is hoping to keep a majority control in the House.
In his remarks, the House Speaker said, “You realize something when you take this job. It’s a big job with a lot of riding on you and you feel it. You also know that this is a job that does not last forever. You realize that you hold the office for just a small part of our history. So you better make the most of it. It’s fleeting and that inspires you to do big things…I think we have achieved a heck of a lot.”
Speaker Ryan also reminded reporters that he took the job “reluctantly” in 2015. However, he made it clear that he “gave everything he had” to perform his duty. He said, “I have no regrets whatsoever for having accepted this responsibility.”
Furthermore, Speaker Ryan said being a House Speaker is “one of the two greatest honors” of his life. The job provided him incredible opportunities, but he can’t let it takeover everything in his life especially his time as a husband and dad—the other great honor of his life.
