Michigan GOP Greets Ryan Retirement with Gratitude and Gripes
Michigan’s GOP House members praise outgoing Speaker Paul Ryan for his work on taxes and, in some cases, helping their re-election campaigns. But one says Ryan allowed members to duck issues and balloon the federal deficit.
Republicans in Michigan’s Congressional delegation are greeting Speaker Paul Ryan’s retirement from the most powerful post in the U.S House with a mix of gratitude and some grumbling.
Ryan says he will step away from Congress to focus on his family.
That’s not a surprise, says Michigan’s longest-serving GOP member of the House.
U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) says in a statement he wanted Ryan to become Speaker because he builds bridges between differing factions.
But Upton states that he understands Ryan has accomplished his main goal in the House by helping reform the tax code.
Congressman Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) also praises Ryan’s work on taxes and national defense.
A political action committee tied to Ryan is helping Bishop’s re-election campaign.
Bishop, like most Michigan GOP House members, rarely differed with Ryan publicly.
The exception is West Michigan Congressman Justin Amash (R-MI.)
He’s blasted Ryan for adding to the federal deficit and charged the Speaker often avoided holding public votes on measures to provide political cover for House members who did not want to be on the record about certain issues.
