Washington • House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., has told friends and several colleagues that he has decided not to seek re-election this year and will soon inform colleagues of his plans, according to several people familiar with his plans.
The decision comes ahead of midterm elections that were already looking treacherous for Republicans, who risk losing control of the House.
The party has seen a large number of retirements, and Ryan’s exit is certain to sap morale as Republicans seek to contain a surge in enthusiasm from Democrats, whose fortunes have been buoyed by the unpopularity of President Donald Trump.
Ryan, 48, was the vice presidential nominee in 2012 on the GOP ticket with Mitt Romney.
He had long championed tax reform, a goal accomplished with the passage last year of the sweeping GOP tax bill.
In 2015, his colleagues elected him to replace John Boehner as speaker after Boehner’s retirement.
He has represented Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District since 1999. Ryan was previously chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and before that chairman of the House Budget Committee.
The news of Ryan’s retirement was first reported by Axios.
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