Former Speaker of the House and Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan made his prediction for 2024, and, according to him, former President Donald Trump is not making a return appearance as the Republican nominee.
“Whether he runs or not, I don’t really know if it matters. He’s not going to be the nominee, I don’t think,” he said.
Though, it won’t be for lack of trying, explained Ryan during an interview with management consulting company Teneo’s co-president of political risk advisory, Kevin Kajiwara. Ryan is also vice chairman of the company. The interview is part of the company’s “Insights Series.”
WATCH: SARAH WESTWOOD SAYS CRIME SURGE COULD PUSH GOP OVER FINISH LINE IN KEY STATES
“He’s going to try and intimidate people out of the race,” the former Wisconsin representative said.
Despite those efforts, he explained that “running a party based on fear and intimidation” initially ends gradually, but then has a sudden drop.
“I think Trump’s unelectability will be palpable by then. We all know that he will lose,” Ryan said. “We all know that he is so much more likely to lose the White House than anybody else running for president on our side of the aisle, so why would we want to go with that?”
“The only reason he stays where he is is because everybody’s afraid of him. They’re afraid of him going after them, hurting their own ambition,” he told Kajiwara. “But as soon as you get sort of the herd mentality going, it’s unstoppable.”
“The fact that he polls so much poorer than anybody else running for president as a Republican against a Democrat is enough right there,” he added.
“It’s not like he is going to reverse the impression that suburban voters have on him. That cake is baked,” Ryan further said.
“The question is, are there so many non-Trump people running that they divide that vote up so much?” he said.
He then predicted that some politicians that haven’t been considered could emerge as contenders for the GOP nomination.
On the November midterm elections, the congressional veteran said that the “House majority is pretty baked,” but it “could be as low as 15” seats.
Ryan explained that the GOP is “not going to pick up 63 seats like we did in 2010,” adding that a “30-seat pickup is an incredibly good night for us.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Regarding the Senate, he said it will likely remain about “50-50.”
