While newly crowned U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan’s, R-Wisc., main rival in the Republican caucus was U.S. Rep. Dan Webster, R-Fla., the new speaker has a key ally in a longtime congresswoman from the Sunshine State.
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., the dean of the Florida delegation and the longest-tenured congresswoman in the Republican caucus, has emerged as a key ally for Ryan. Currently the chairwoman of the House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, Ros-Lehtinen previously led the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
At the end of last week, on the “NewsHour” on PBS, Ros-Lehtinen went to bat for Ryan, praising the new speaker’s early efforts in leadership. The South Florida congresswoman expressed optimism that Ryan could unite the Republican caucus. That proved a challenge for former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who drew heavy fire from the tea party movement and members of the House Freedom Caucus due to his leadership. U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., tried to move up to replace Boehner but could not round up the votes with tea party supporters and conservatives opposing his leadership bid.
Ros-Lehtinen praised Ryan for “threading that needle in a very careful way” as he tried to balance policy and conservative principles. “He’s surfing his way through some very big surf that our GOP Caucus is throwing at him,” Ros-Lehtinen said about Ryan.
“People are trusting him,” Ros-Lehtinen added. “Yes, there’s going to see how it all works out, but, as of now, even the most malcontent and discontented Republican member, of which we have a few — you’re never going to make everybody happy — has got to see that he’s really trying his best to make the process work.”
Ros-Lehtinen also insisted Ryan will help the GOP as it looks to take back the White House and preserve its majorities in both chamber of Congress in November.
“He’s going to improve our Republican brand,” Ros-Lehtinen told PBS about Ryan. “I hate to use that word brand, but that’s the way people look at this nowadays. And it’s been tarnished, and we’re going to earn that Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval again.”
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
