House Speaker Paul Ryan will not be the Republican Party's presidential candidate, as he made clear again on Tuesday when he ruled out the possibility of accepting the nomination at the GOP convention in July, NBC News reported.
"Let me be clear: I do not want, nor will I accept the Republican nomination," Ryan said at a press conference.
But Ryan is running a campaign this fall -- one to keep his own job as House Speaker by creating an identity for congressional Republicans that is distinct from Ted Cruz, Donald Trump or whoever emerges as the GOP presidential nominee.
"Not running does not mean I'm going to disappear," Ryan said on Tuesday. "There is a big debate going on right now. It's about what kind of country we're going to be. As Speaker of the House, I believe I have not just an opportunity but an obligation to advance that debate."
