The Republican primaries have been a rat race. Insults have been thrown back and forth between candidates. The candidates have been rolling in the dirty mud of politics with one another. In the midst of the dirty campaign tactics and the debates, which never seem to touch upon the real issues or platforms that the candidates stand for, there is no real front-runner. Trump may be ahead in the polls, but will he win enough delegates to stop a contested Republican convention?
According to a Huffington Post article, after Ted Cruz’s Wisconsin primary win, the chances of a contested convention increased. This would allow for another candidate to take the nomination away from Trump, which would bolster public morale and would help the Republican Party remain strong.
If there is a contested convention, the question becomes: who should receive the nomination for the Republican Party? Many Republicans, both citizens and politicians alike, have encouraged and called for Paul Ryan to consider taking the nomination if it comes down to a contested convention.
So question then becomes, Who is Paul Ryan? Also, why do Republicans want him to be the nominee, considering he decided not to run on his own?
Paul Ryan is the Speaker of the House of Representatives. He hails from Wisconsin and has been a member of Congress for nine years. Before he was elected Speaker of the House he was the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Also, when Mitt Romney was the Republican nominee running against President Obama in 2012, Speaker Ryan was his running mate. He is known to be a more moderate Republican in his political views, but is a favorite among the fiscal conservatives.
Speaker Ryan’s résumé in politics should be enough to convince individuals that he is qualified for a nomination. He has stood as a strong pillar for Republicans through times of turmoil and distress. He has been there for the good times and has helped to shape the U.S in positive ways throughout his nine terms to date.
However, Republicans will have to wait a few more years for Ryan to consider a presidential run. In a press conference on Tuesday, March 12, Paul Ryan said that he would not accept, nor does he want to receive, a nomination if it comes down to a contested convention. Ryan stated in a New York Times article that “I simply believe that if you want to be the nominee – to be the president you should actually run for it. I chose not to. Therefore, I should not be considered. Period.” He believes that if American citizens do not pick a candidate by a majority, then the nominee should be one of the candidates who participated in the primaries. Since the candidates took the time to run for it, one of them should have the opportunity to receive the nomination.
We should take Speaker Ryan at his word and understand where he is coming from. He believes that a deserving nominee is one who took the time to run for election, and his point is valid. However, it is difficult for the Republican Party to look at the evolution of the election and not be disappointed in the way people are voting.
Speaker Ryan is looking forward, but is also attempting to combat the issue at hand in this primary cycle: Donald Trump. He has encouraged voters to make more informed decisions before voting, as he does not believe that Trump has the policy platform or experience to make a a good enough run at combating the Democratic nominee. Ryan has said that “politics today tends to drift toward personality contest, not policy contests” -- which is what is missing in this primary cycle (see the Republican debates and Donald Trump’s inability to go into detail on policies). Instead of beating around the bush on issues like Trump has, Ryan is encouraging politicians to focus on the issues.
As voters, we can learn to be more informed when going to the polls. It is our job to do our due diligence and not be swayed by the "star quality" of candidates. We need to focus on the candidates who attack the issues and who will work to cultivate a better future for our country. We need a presidential candidate who is focused and knowledgeable. Trump has been playing to voters' emotions and anger, but he has no platform. He uses insults and manipulates the media to gain support.
As a country, we are better than this. Although Ryan would not consider a nomination, we can take his advice and inform ourselves on the platforms of candidates. Most importantly, we should vote for the candidate that would better our country.
If it does come down to a contested convention, we can only hope that the chosen nominee has a strong platform, is a moderate and knowledgeable Republican and would be a strong enough candidate for the general election.
Although Ryan says that he will not consider a nomination in a contested election, Republicans still have hope that he will consider running in the future. He is young, qualified and a good representative of the foundations of the Republican Party.
