Ryan won’t seek reelection

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., announced Wednesday he will retire at the end of his term because he does not want his children growing up with a “weekend dad.” Ryan, who became speaker after the abrupt retirement of John Boehner in 2015, told reporters he was leaving with confidence in Republicans’ standing with voters in the upcoming midterm elections. “I have given this job everything I have,” he said. “We’re going to have a great record to run on.” Since his election to Congress in 1998, Ryan has made the budget and tax cuts the center of his agenda. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney selected him as his running mate in the 2012 presidential election. Ryan succeeded in ushering sweeping tax reforms through Congress late last year but struggled to push forward comprehensive changes in other policy areas such as immigration and healthcare. He also struggled to find common ground at times with President Donald Trump. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has a closer working relationship with Trump and is expected to seek to replace Ryan as speaker. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana is another likely candidate for the job.