Boehner, Cantor dismiss rumors of Ryan exit

Former Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) are dismissing the idea that Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will step down from his post.

“The idea that he’s going to walk out of there in the middle of the fight is ludicrous,” Boehner told The Washington Post.

Cantor said the notion that Ryan would “abdicate and leave is preposterous.”

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Speculation about Ryan’s future has stepped up since a GOP lawmaker in Nevada publicly referred to rumors that he could exit the House.

“The rumor mill is Paul Ryan is getting ready to resign in the next 30 to 60 days and that Steve Scalise will be the new speaker,” Nevada GOP Rep. Mark Amodei said on “Nevada Newsmakers.”

Ryan’s office denied the comments.

“The speaker is not resigning,” Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong said in a statement Monday.

Republicans are in a fight to keep their majority this fall. Democrats need to win 24 seats to regain the majority. Given the number of GOP seats that are considered leaning toward Democrats or toss-ups, it’s possible Democrats will get there.

If Democrats do win the House, it would not be surprising for Ryan to step down. If Republicans hold on to the House, some think Ryan could still leave rather than face a potentially difficult vote for the Speakership.

Boehner faced the same problems during his Speakership, and rumors about his pending retirement trailed him until he announced he would leave the House in September 2015 — not long after a visit to Congress by Pope Francis.