Ryan Won't Endorse in Wisconsin GOP Primary

The leader of House Speaker Paul Ryan's campaign team says Ryan has no plans to endorse if there is a Republican primary in the race to replace him.

However, Kevin Seifert says Ryan is committed to keeping the seat that he has held for 20 years in Republican hands. Seifert said Wednesday that Ryan's team "will work tirelessly so Republicans keep this seat."

Numerous Republicans, including several state office holders, are considering running.

The only declared candidate is far-right conservative Paul Nehlen, who has been barred from Twitter for racist and anti-Semitic posts and who Ryan defeated by 68 points in 2016.

Seifert says Nehlen isn't qualified for the seat and his "bigoted rhetoric and his reprehensible statements should disqualify him from holding any public office."

However, other possible Republican candidates to run in Ryan's southeast Wisconsin congressional district aren't saying much about whether they will jump in.

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is praising Ryan as "perhaps the best congressman Wisconsin has ever sent to Washington," but not addressing whether he will run for the spot.

State Rep. Samantha Kerkman isn't ruling it out, saying: "Hey, it's the year of the woman. There's a lot to think about."

Other possible candidates, including state Sen. David Craig, state Rep. Tyler August and attorney Bryan Steil (STYLE), aren't commenting on their plans.