Paul Ryan officially puts presidential rumors to rest: 'Count me out'

Paul Ryan will not take part in GOP race.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

published 12 April 2016

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) let America know once again in a Tuesday press conference that he really, really isn't running for president. "I want to put this to rest once and for all," Ryan said. "I do not want, nor will I accept the nomination of our party. Count me out."

Though the Wisconsin congressman had already ruled out being the 2016 GOP nominee many times in favor of the party selecting its nominee from the pool of candidates who are actually running campaigns, some in the GOP establishment have continued to hold Ryan up as a level-headed alternative to Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, should neither candidate garner enough delegates to clinch the nomination before the party's nominating convention in July.

While many had hoped Ryan would once again cave for the greater good of the Republican Party — he threw his hat into the ring to replace John Boehner as speaker of the House at the last minute after the party pled for him to step in — Ryan maintains that this time it's different. "Apples and oranges," Ryan said of trying to draw a comparison between the two scenarios. "Being speaker of the House is a far cry from being president of the United States."