Pressure mounts on Ryan to delay vote on his future

A moderate House Republican and longtime supporter of Paul Ryan is asking him to delay upcoming elections on whether to retain the current House leadership team — a potential sign of trouble for the speaker.

Rep. Jim Renacci (R-Ohio) in recent days circulated a letter to fellow lawmakers calling the timing of the leadership elections — currently scheduled for Nov. 15, a day after lawmakers return from a seven-week recess – “ill advised.” Renacci’s office said 15 lawmakers have committed to sign on to the letter so far. They include several Republicans who have backed Ryan in the past and endorsed Donald Trump for president.

“There are fractures in the conference which truly need to be discussed, vetted and healed,” reads a draft of the letter, obtained by POLITICO. “Asking members to vote for a leadership team within 24 hours of their return to Washington without time to reflect on ways of coming together as a conference is truly ill advised. That in itself ignores the reality that the conference is divided…. There is no reason to hastily hold elections.”