Paul Ryan’s Decision Not To Run Is A Sign That Mitt Romney Is Running For President In 2016

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Rep. Paul Ryan’s decision not to run for president in 2016 came after Ryan discussed 2016 with Mitt Romney. Ryan has repeatedly stated that he would not run in 2016 if Romney ran again.

Ryan announced his decision not to run during an interview with NBC News, “I have decided that I am not going to run for president in 2016. It is amazing the amount of encouragement I have gotten from people – from friends and supporters – but I feel like I am in a position to make a big difference where I am and I want to do that.”

Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that Mitt Romney is mobilizing his supporters for another run at the White House. One of the supporters that Romney talked to over the weekend was Paul Ryan, “Over the past few days, Romney has been in touch with an array of key allies to discuss his potential 2016 campaign, according to people with knowledge of the calls. They include Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), his former vice presidential running mate; former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty (R); Hewlett-Packard chief executive Meg Whitman; former Massachusetts senator Scott Brown; former Missouri senator Jim Talent; and Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah). In the conversations, Romney has said he is intent on running to the right of Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor who also is working aggressively to court donors and other party establishment figures for a 2016 bid.”

In September 2014, Rep. Ryan (R-WI) told HuffPo Live that he wouldn’t run if Romney ran again, “I wouldn’t if he were. I would support Mitt. If he were to run, I would not. But I don’t even know if I’m going to either myself. That’s something I’m going to decide in 2015.”

It is not a coincidence that Ryan talks to Romney, then announces that he isn’t running for president in 2016. In fact, it is looking more and more likely that Mitt Romney is going to run for president for a third time. If the primary battle between Romney and Jeb Bush happens, it will be the kind of intraparty bloodbath that Republicans were hoping to avoid by changing their primary process for 2016. Instead of a party unified around an early nominee, Republicans could be faced with an expensive drawn out brawl that would be certain to damage the victor.

Mitt Romney has stayed in the media spotlight too much for a defeated nominee, and Ryan’s announcement that he isn’t running is the biggest sign yet that Romney is serious about 2016.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association