Speaker Ryan Is Raising a Lot More Money Than Boehner Did

WASHINGTON (CQ-Roll Call/TNS) —

After trying once again to put to rest chatter about his running for president, Speaker Paul D. Ryan on Wednesday reported raising $23.5 million for his political operation since taking up the gavel in late October.

In the first quarter of 2016, Team Ryan raised $17.2 million and transferred $11 million to the National Republican Congressional Committee.

In March alone, Team Ryan transferred $6.3 million — a record monthly transfer to the NRCC. By contrast, former Speaker John A. Boehner’s largest monthly transfer was $2.8 million in June 2012. Boehner’s largest first-quarter presidential-year transfer to the NRCC was $3.5 million that same year.

“We are so grateful to Speaker Paul Ryan for his hard work that was instrumental in giving the NRCC a historic fundraising haul for the first quarter of 2016,” said NRCC Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) in a statement Wednesday. “Because of his efforts, his desire to advance solutions, and his working in tandem with our House majority, the NRCC is in the best financial position in its history going into the election year.”

In a message to GOP delegates Tuesday, Ryan said “count me out” of the presidential race and stressed the importance of his current job. “This is a critical role that has to be played and I am in a position to play it, to prepare for a fall campaign with our nominee that gives a clear and compelling choice to our fellow citizens so we can earn the mandate to get things right … to fix our problems and get our country back on track,” he said.

To Read The Full Story

Are you already a subscriber?
Click to log in!