Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole's name has been mentioned as a potential future speaker of the House, but he said Friday there are "many better choices" than him, and he believes Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan will end up running.
"We had two guys fall on their swords for the good of the conference," Cole told
MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program, referencing outgoing House Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who took himself out of the running for Boehner's seat on Thursday. "It's hard not to step up when there's an overwhelming demand."
But if Ryan doesn't get in the race, Cole mentioned a friend, Minnesota Rep. John Kline, who he'd like to see seek the seat.
Further, said Cole, while Ryan could pull together Republicans, "that doesn't mean there's not other people capable of it. But I think he's unique in the House of Representatives...he's a commanding presence plus he's a great guy, and and I think he'll step up."
He also thinks Ryan will also meet with approval from the House's conservative Freedom Caucus.
"I don't know of anybody that doesn't like him and trust him but you can look at the record of achievement in the Budget Committee," said Cole. "Paul has a strong sense of doing the right thing. He knows the right thing to do now is to lead this caucus and put us together. I think he'll do it."
And even if it takes extra time to pick a speaker, Cole believes Boehner can handle the upcoming negotiations for an increase in the nation's debt ceiling."
"Boehner, in the 2011 debt ceiling negotiation, got the Budget Control Act," said Cole. "He's a good negotiator."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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