House Speaker Paul Ryan, who condemned Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's 2005 comments about grabbing women over the weekend, announced to fellow members this morning he will no longer campaign for or defend Trump, marking an official end to his previous endorsement of the candidate.
The announcement came during a weekly conference call where Ryan made it clear he will now focus on heping vulnerable House members keep their seats on Election Day. From POLITICO:
Speaker Paul Ryan told Republican lawmakers on a conference call Monday morning that he will focus the next four weeks on keeping the House majority. Ryan said he "won't defend Trump" or campaign with him before the election, according to GOP sources — a clear sign he's more concerned about holding the majority than winning the White House.
On the call, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) also told lawmakers to take a deep breath and focus on their own races.
Ryan's stance comes after a weekend deluge when dozens of lawmakers, including governors, rescinded their support for the GOP nominee.