Paul Ryan won't rule out accepting the GOP nomination

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

published 16 March 2016

House Speaker Paul Ryan says he isn't ruling out the possibility of accepting the GOP nomination should the convention turn to him in a deadlock, CNBC reported Tuesday night. As the Republican Party's panic grows over Donald Trump's continued dominance in the presidential race, Ryan, who will chair the party convention in July, has repeatedly been mentioned as someone the GOP could turn to outside of the current crop of candidates. "You know, I haven't given any thought to this stuff," Ryan said. "People say, 'What about the contested convention?' I say, well, there are a lot of people running for president. We'll see. Who knows."

While Ryan isn't ruling it out, he does point out that he did "consciously" decide not to run for president in 2016 — and that he doesn't really expect the scenario to become a reality. "I don't see that happening," he said of the possibility. "I'm not thinking about it. I'm happy where I am, so no."