Republican backer says Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney both want to run in 2020


The reason why House Speaker Paul Ryan is offering only lukewarm support for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is because he wants him to lose so he can run in 2020, a longtime GOP financial backer told The Daily Caller.
He's not alone, either. The unidentified donor said 2012 Republican nominee and outspoken Trump critic Mitt Romney also wants to run in four years, when he will be 73 years old. The financial backer attended a Trump fundraiser Thursday held by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), and said most donors are ready to support Trump. Another source that attended the event told The Daily Caller that Christie said Republican leaders need to back Trump, but if they don't, they should either say nothing or publicly acknowledge they'll back presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
July 20 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include AI replacing workers, and Donald Trump trying to divert media attention away from the Epstein files
-
5 suspiciously good cartoons about the Epstein files
Cartoons Artists take on the relationship between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein
-
A glorious Greek island without the 'swank'
The Week Recommends Lesbos doesn't welcome 'hoards' of tourists, but is 'magnificent' and worth exploring
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months
-
SCOTUS greenlights mass DOE firings
Speed Read The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to further shrink the Education Department