Ryan leaves Congress

There’s a chance — an outside chance, most of his allies say — that Ryan could call it quits.

One theory is that Ryan will step aside if Republicans balk at returning him to the speaker’s chair, or make him jump over impossibly high hurdles to get there. This was never Ryan’s dream job, and he’s unlikely to allow conservatives to twist his arm.

“Paul will never be taken hostage by those guys,” said a top GOP lawmaker, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “He will either be able to govern or he will give up the job.”

The Wisconsin Republican’s allies point to Ryan’s demand for GOP solidarity when he took over in November 2015 in the midst of the crisis sparked by Boehner’s exit. Even then, nine Republicans voted against him.

Consider this: None of the previous six speakers left of their own volition. Boehner, Newt Gingrich, Jim Wright, Tom Foley and Dennis Hastert were more or less forced out or lost their majority. Nancy Pelosi lost her gavel after an electoral bloodbath and stayed on as minority leader.