The Hill recently floated the idea of House Speaker Paul Ryan becoming the GOP presidential nominee as a result of a brokered convention.
Before his assent to Speaker, Ryan was better remembered for his homoerotic photo spread in Time Magazine than his quiet stint as Mitt Romney’s running mate in 2012.
In the few months since his promotion to Speaker after the resignation of ineffective John Boehner, Ryan has continued Boehner’s track record of allowing every Obama initiative to fly through without opposition.
Ryan’s biggest gaffe to date was the approval of a two-year budget that handed out billions in pork-barrel spending.
The Hill’s speculation on a Ryan presidential candidacy relies on what is likely to be a brokered convention for the GOP in 2016.
In the event no candidate takes the majority of the delegate’s votes on the first round at convention, the convention turns into a literal free-for-all where anyone can take the nomination.
The Hill’s writer, Former Congressman Bill Owens, gives a strategic spin on the move writing, “The selection of Paul Ryan would require the Democratic nominee to pivot and focus on the surprise candidate — a truly Machiavellian opportunity with potentially great results for Republicans.”
Given Congress’ abysmal approval rating of 10% (70% disapprove), putting in Paul Ryan to oppose Hillary Clinton would be the laugh of a lifetime.