GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan says he’s not going to renounce his support for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Appearing on the Jerry Bader Show Thursday, Ryan says that doesn’t mean he won’t speak out against him.
“We are a party where the grassroots Republican primary voter selects our nominee and that’s as it should be and that it what it is. I think there’s something to be said about respecting those voters,” Ryan says. “But if I see and hear things that I think are wrong, I’m not going to sit by and say nothing because I think I have a duty as a Republican leader to defend Republican principles and our party’s brand.”
Coming out of last month’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland, the Wisconsin Republican is surprised that more of Trump’s focus hasn’t been on his Democratic opponent.
“You would think we ought to be focusing on Hillary Clinton and all of her deficiencies, she is such a weak candidate that one would think we would be on offense against Hillary Clinton,” remarked Ryan. “It is distressing that this is not what we’re talking about these days.”
Trump and his vice presidential nominee Mike Pence are scheduled to appear in Green Bay for a town hall event Friday evening.
Ryan reiterated his stance on the back-and-forth between Trump and the parents of a Muslim-American soldier killed in the line of duty back in 2004, who spoke out against the real estate mogul at last month’s Democratic National Convention.
“You do nothing but honor Gold Star families,” Ryan says. “And if anyone’s earned the right to say whatever they want, to express themselves, it is Gold Star families.”
When asked about Wednesday’s endorsement from the Republican vice presidential nominee, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, just a day after Trump echoed Ryan by saying he, “wasn’t there yet,” Ryan talked about his long-time friendship with Pence.
He also says the only endorsements he wants are for the voters in Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District. Ryan is in a Republican primary battle with businessman Paul Nehlen, as voters head to the polls on Tuesday.
