Third, I frankly think that at a time the GOP is fracturing and a bunch of former Democrats, white supremacists, and people otherwise alienated from the political process are trying to take over the Republican Party, Paul Ryan is the steadiest hand in the tumultuous seas right now. He is a far better leader than Boehner was and vastly better and more conservative than Mitch McConnell.

Fourth, I like the guy. We may disagree politically on some things, but I think Paul Ryan is the best conservatives can hope for right now in Washington and he’s a decent person.

I have a lot of friends who are going to read this and give me unmitigated hell for the next few weeks. That’s fine. I see a party fracturing and a descent into tribalist, nationalist tendencies among a lot of people who should know better. If we’re going to fight the GOP civil war, I think Wisconsin’s First Congressional District can at least provide us with one stable, non-tribalist happy warrior against a horde of angry people willing to sack the party of Lincoln and Reagan just because they’re pissed off.