Rumors Flying That Speaker Of The House Paul Ryan Will Leave Congress In 2018

First, Politico reported this on Speaker of the House Paul Ryan's eventual departure from Congress:

Despite several landmark legislative wins this year, and a better-than-expected relationship with President Donald Trump, Ryan has made it known to some of his closest confidants that this will be his final term as speaker. He consults a small crew of family, friends and staff for career advice, and is always cautious not to telegraph his political maneuvers. But the expectation of his impending departure has escaped the hushed confines of Ryan’s inner circle and permeated the upper-most echelons of the GOP. In recent interviews with three dozen people who know the speaker—fellow lawmakers, congressional and administration aides, conservative intellectuals and Republican lobbyists—not a single person believed Ryan will stay in Congress past 2018.

Then came this denial, via The Hill:

Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) says he’s not quitting Congress anytime soon. Asked at the end of his weekly press conference whether he was leaving Congress “soon,” Ryan chuckled and replied as he walked off the stage: “I’m not, no.”

Rumors have been swirling for weeks that Ryan — who this October marked his second year in the Speaker’s office — could resign from Congress shortly after passing his No. 1 legislative priority: tax reform.

The House and Senate are expected to pass a final version of their historic tax-cuts bill next week, with President Trump planning to sign it into law by Christmas Day.

Watch the reporting from CNN today below:

Speaker Paul Ryan has had soul searching conversations about his future with friends, some of his close friends tell CNN. They say it is possible Ryan could leave Congress after the 2018 elections https://t.co/d4JQ17N4lq pic.twitter.com/IfrivCwcEd

— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) December 14, 2017