Pence Declines to Say Whether Paul Ryan Should Remain as Speaker

Republican vice-presidential nominee Mike Pence declined to say whether Paul Ryan should remain in his position as speaker of the House of Representatives. “My respect for Paul Ryan is boundless,” Pence, a former member of the House, said twice during an interview with National Review. “I’m not a member of the House Republican conference anymore. I wouldn’t presume upon what the members of the conference choose.” Later, a Pence adviser told the publication that the Indiana governor, if he were still serving in the House, would vote to re-elect Ryan. Pence’s refusal to stand behind Ryan comes after the House speaker said he would no longer defend Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Trump responded to the news by slamming Ryan as a “weak and ineffective leader.”