Chuck Schumer wants Paul Ryan to 'break free' from the GOP before he leaves office


House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) confirmed Wednesday that he will not run for re-election this year, and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has some advice for the departing congressman.
"With his newfound political freedom, I hope the speaker uses his remaining time in Congress to break free from the hard-right factions of his caucus that have kept Congress from getting real things done," said Schumer in a statement. Schumer said that, while other top Republicans jockeying for Ryan's spot will make the end of his term complicated, he's confident Ryan is "up to the job."
Ryan, who has been House speaker since 2015, doesn't have a clear successor poised to take his spot. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) are reportedly angling for the job, but nobody has officially thrown their hat into the ring.
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.
Schumer was frequently at odds with Ryan, often trading barbs over everything from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration program to the handling of Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) and his infamous memo regarding Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. Schumer and Ryan also blamed each other for the government shutdown in January.
Meanwhile, Ryan's Democratic counterpart in the House, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), has yet to address the retirement news. Still, her last tweet happens to mention Ryan anyway: "[Speaker Ryan] and [the GOP] seem to have forgotten that Americans will not stand for their attacks on #Medicare & #SocialSecurity," she wrote.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
-
Judge blocks Trump’s Guard deployment in Chicago
Speed Read The president is temporarily blocked from federalizing the Illinois National Guard or deploying any Guard units in the state
-
Trump urges jail for Illinois, Chicago leaders
Speed Read The Texas National Guard begin operations in the Chicago area
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats