Since being elected Speaker, Paul Ryan has desperately tried to claim the mantle of Republican party leader and bring unity to a fractured and dysfunctional Republican Party. And while he might have certain Republican Party elites on board, Presidential frontrunners Ted Cruz, Donald Trump and the rabid GOP base have other plans.
Speaking at the Heritage Action Conservative Policy Summit, Speaker Paul Ryan led off his speech with a plea to the conservatives in the room: “we need to unite the clans.” He then proceeded to focus on the need to unify five more times in his short speech.
This is ironic given that just 48 hours ago, Ted Cruz – a man who rose to fame on the wave of Republican disunity and as lead promoter of the Republican government shutdown – won the Iowa Caucuses.
And clearly the House Freedom Caucus is ready to again catch that Cruz-mentum, as they made clear this week that they are preparing for an ugly budget showdown with Ryan. So while Paul Ryan can try and rally the Beltway establishment, it is clear he has no more ability to unite House Republicans than former Speaker, and political coup d’etat victim, John Boehner.
“Try as he might, Paul Ryan has no control over the party of Ted Cruz and his powerful group of anti-establishment followers in the Republican base. When he is done with his Beltway speech, perhaps he can go to Iowa and talk to the voters who overwhelmingly voted for dysfunction and rabid conservativism,” said Meredith Kelly of the DCCC.