Assembly Speaker Robin Vos Won’t Run For Paul Ryan’s Congressional Seat

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, will not run to replace U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan in Congress, Vos announced Friday morning.

“While I know that our nation’s capital desperately needs more conservative reformers from Wisconsin, Michelle and I have decided that we can do more good continuing to push state-based conservative reforms,” Vos said in a prepared statement. “That’s why I will seek re-election in the state Legislature and continue to focus on maintaining the strong, historic majority in the Wisconsin State Assembly.”

Vos had been one of the most high-profile potential contenders for the seat, along with former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus. Priebus announced Thursday he would not enter the race.

A number of other Republicans are still considering running for the seat, including University of Wisconsin System Regent Bryan Steil.

Ryan has represented the 1st Congressional District for nearly 20 years. He announced Wednesday he would not seek re-election in November.

Two Democrats, ironworker Randy Bryce and teacher Cathy Myers, were already running in hopes of flipping the seat. White nationalist Paul Nehlen, who lost soundly to Ryan in the 2016 GOP primary, has also been running against the house speaker this year.