Defeated Ryan Primary Challenger Nehlen Wants House Speaker Job

The man who lost to House Speaker Paul Ryan in the Republican primary over the summer is now trying to take Ryan's job in the chamber.

Wisconsin businessman Paul Nehlen told CNN this week he is mounting a challenge to become House speaker, since the Constitution allows non-House members to serve in the role.

"It's going to be nationalized," Nehlen told the network, adding that Ryan resorted to "backstabbing our nominee" in regards to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

"We are going to make it uncomfortable for House members who say we have no confidence in Speaker Ryan" but still vote for him to continue as speaker, Nehlen said.

Ryan easily defeated Nehlen in the August primary, garnering more than 80 percent of the vote in Wisconsin's 1st district.

Ryan has been criticized for his off-and-on relationship with Trump. He endorsed Trump for president in June after stalling for months. Earlier this month after a 2005 tape of Trump making sexually aggressive comments was made public, Ryan did not withdraw his endorsement but said he would no longer publicly support or campaign for Trump.

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