MOUNT PLEASANT, WI - Ryan Solen has long been astounded that Speaker Paul Ryan endorsed Donald Trump, accepted Donald Trump’s endorsement, and continues to endorse the Republican nominee for president despite Ryan calling Trump out on numerous occasions for saying all manner of insulting things. Friday Paul Ryan crossed a line that Ryan Solen didn’t think he would see and simply refused to comment on Trump’s latest antics at the NBC/MSNBC candidate forum Thursday night.

Speaker Ryan was decidedly uncomfortable at his first press conference when reporters asked him why Trump claimed Putin is a better leader than Obama. “Do you think I’m going to stand up here and be election pundit? I’ve got other things to do in this job,” Ryan fumed. “Yeah, he’s the nominee of our party, because he won our nomination fair and square. I’m not going to sit up here and do the tit for tat on what Donald said last night, or the night before, and Hillary versus Donald. That is not my job, and I’m not going to be the election year pundit commenting on all these little things. I’ll leave it at that.”

So, the presidential race is one of those “little things” the Speaker refuses to address?

Not only has Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District U.S. Representative and America’s highest ranking elected Republican refused to even answer Democratic challenger Ryan Solen about a campaign debate, he refuses to answer any questions regarding his own party’s presidential nominee. Does the Speaker feel praising a dictator- like Donald Trump did last night in his tribute to Vladimir Putin- is superior to showing respect for a democratically elected president?

With only three more weeks before the next recess—and 60 days until the general election—it is hard to imagine that questions about Trump’s comments will cease. Will Speaker Ryan eventually answer questions about his support of Donald Trump? Or will he continue to evade questions like he has evaded Ryan Solen’s request for a debate?

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Ryan Solen is an Army veteran of the war in Iraq and is seeking to represent Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District. He is a Digital Forensic Specialist and Computer Security Analyst. He is a married father of four and enjoys reading, writing, doing karate with his family, and relieves stress with his vintage Lego collection.
He is the Wisconsin Democratic Party’s Nominee to run for the U.S. House of Representatives to replace Paul Ryan. For more information, please visit www.solenforcongress.com.