House Speaker Paul Ryan batted down rumors Tuesday that he is looking to end his time in his current position any time soon.
“I’m not leaving this job,” Ryan told his fellow Republicans at a conference meeting, a source in the room told CNN. The conference responded with a standing ovation.
Asked about the reports he was planning to step down at his weekly news conference, Ryan said “I am not going anywhere anytime soon.”
Separately, Georgia GOP Rep. Barry Loudermilk confirmed to reporters Ryan announced in the conference meeting he had no intention of going anywhere.
Loudermilk also said Ryan told the conference “we’re winning and we have a whole lot more to do.”
Last week, CNN and other outlets reported that Ryan, who’s been House Speaker since October 2015, was doing “soul searching” and people close to Ryan told CNN they believe it is possible that he could leave Congress after the 2018 midterm elections, if he can achieve his goal of passing GOP backed overhaul of the US tax system. The House is expected to pass the GOP tax plan Tuesday. Ryan denied he was considering leaving when the story was first reported last week.
Ryan told reporters he decided to make a point to deliver that message to his GOP colleagues this morning because of recent reports that he said used “faulty speculation.”