House Speaker Paul Ryan Declines to Back Donald Trump

Republican leaders are divided over supporting the billionaire real estate developer for president

House Speaker Paul Ryan, the nation's highest-ranking elected Republican, says he's not ready to support Donald Trump as the party's nominee.

Ryan's stunning announcement, on CNN Thursday afternoon, came after freshman Republican Sen. Ben Sasse said America should draft an alternative to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, someone who would be an "honest leader" and "an adult." 

"Why are we confined to these two terrible options?" the Nebraska senator wrote in a manifesto titled "An Open Letter to Majority America."

"This is America. If both choices stink, we reject them and go bigger. That's what we do," Sasse said. 

Ryan says he wants to be able to support Trump but that he's not there yet. He says Trump has work to do to unify the party.

In a statement, Trump responded that he himself isn't ready to support Ryan's agenda, either.

"Perhaps in the future we can work together and come to an agreement about what is best for the American people," Trump said. "They have been treated so badly for so long that it is about time for politicians to put them first!"

The party is grappling with whether to endorse the outsider, who bested more than a dozen established politicians in the primary, including Sen. Ted Cruz, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a longtime critic of Trump, now plans to support the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

Adviser Jeff Miller said Perry "believes Trump is the nominee and will be supporting him over Democrat Hillary Clinton." Perry also told CNN on Thursday that he wouldn't rule out being Trump's vice presidential pick.

At a rally in West Virginia, Trump revelled in his primary victory, though he did not address Ryan's statement or anyone in the so-called "#NeverTrump" movement by name.

"It's like a boxer, you gotta knock 'em out, then you don't worry about the judges," said Trump, who has often suggested his critics were a part of a Republican party system rigged against him.

Sasse, who has been an outspoken critic of Trump, doesn't offer a preferred candidate — although over Twitter he's mentioned former Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn. 

But he said after discussions with his constituents it's clear that voters want a better option. Nebraska's Republicans have yet to vote in the presidential election; their primary is May 10.

Numerous Republican strategists and politicians have publicly spoken out against Trump before he became the presumptive nominee following the sudden departures of Cruz and Kasich from the GOP race this week. 

According to MSNBC, the list includes Patrick Ruffini, Republican strategist and early #NeverTrump adopter, Ben Howe, contributing editor to the conservative website RedState and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. 

Sen. John McCain told supporters last month that having Trump as the GOP nominee would hurt his own re-election bid in Arizona, according to a recording of the event obtained by Politico.

“If Donald Trump is at the top of the ticket, here in Arizona, with over 30 percent of the vote being the Hispanic vote, no doubt that this may be the race of my life,” McCain said, according to the recording. “If you listen or watch Hispanic media in the state and in the country, you will see that it is all anti-Trump. The Hispanic community is roused and angry in a way that I've never seen in 30 years.”

On Thursday, McCain addressed Trump's candidacy in Phoenix, Arizona, saying it brings "more uncertainty" into the presidential campaign.

"I support the nominee of the party, but I will work very hard to continue my work on national security and I will do what I can to influence the campaign in the areas of national security that I think are most need to be addressed," McCain added. 

Gearing up for a battle with Trump, Clinton took another swipe at him with a list of conservatives who seem to oppose him. The list was sent out yesterday, but was updated Thursday with former Presidents George W. Bush and George H. W. Bush.

The senior Bush has thrown his support behind party's nominee in the past five election cycles. But his spokesman confirmed to NBC News that the former president will not endorse Trump and "is retired from politics."

George W. Bush's personal aide told The Texas Tribune he is also staying out of politics and "does not plan to participate in or comment on the presidential campaign" this year.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval — who supported Marco Rubio and more recently, John Kasich — said he would support the presumptive nominee, even though he made it clear in the past that he was not a fan of the real estate mogul, according to NBC News

In an interview with the Washington Post, Sandoval warned about the damage Trump would do to the party's attempts to attract Latino voters. 

Meanwhile, Trump announced Thursday that he is tapping private investor Steven Mnuchin to lead his presidential fundraising.

The real estate mogul has largely financed his primary bid through personal loans to his campaign. He said while he will continue to put up "substantial money," he must also develop a more traditional fundraising approach now that he is likely to face off with Clinton in the general election.

Mnuchin is chairman and chief executive officer of Dune Capital management LLC, a private investment firm, and previously worked at the New York bank Goldman Sachs.

Trump said in a statement that he has worked with Mnuchin "in a business capacity. Mnuchin "brings his expertise in finance to what will be an extremely successful fundraising operation for the Republican Party," Trump said.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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