Paul Ryan Roasted After Slamming GOP Candidates For Protecting Kids From Far-Left Ideology And Mutilations

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan is torching the same Republican Party he used to lead, saying its recent bend into the culture wars is taking away from issues he deems more important, such as China’s aggression and the national debt.

Ryan, speaking on CBS Mornings, gave his opinion of what one host called were GOP attempts at “banning books,” pulling back “trans rights,” and other “anti-woke” efforts that appeal to the party’s hardcore base of supporters.

“I’m not a culture war guy. I think it’s really polarizing. Look, on some of these issues I’ll side with the anti-woke crowd, but to me I’m worried about the debt crisis. I’m worried about the future of our country and China. There are big policy problems that we need to tackle if we want to have a great twenty-first century for this country,” said Ryan.

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Ryan cited his work at the University of Notre Dame and a poverty center he founded as focused on issues that are not being prioritized by the Republican Party and are being made worse by President Joe Biden. Ryan suggested his former colleagues may win their Republican primaries by leaning into the aforementioned issues but will suffer for it in general election scenarios.

“Culture war politics is good primary election politics. It’s very divisive, but it’s effective politics, I’ll grant you that. But for me, I’m an old Jack Kemp guy. I believe in inclusive, aspirational politics, solve problems. We’ve got huge problems, we’ve got a debt crisis coming up. We’ve gotta get on top of that. Neither Trump or Biden is good on this issue,” Ryan concluded.

Ryan served as House Speaker from 2015 to 2019 after rising the ranks as a top deputy to former House Speaker John Boehner. At the time his brand of libertarian conservatism generated support from ultra-conservative circles like the House Freedom Caucus, made up of Republican congressmen who eventually became too much for Ryan to handle.

Since being elected to the White House, President Trump has left an indelible stamp on the Republican Party as he pulled it from the grip of longtime Republican lawmakers like Ryan and brought in outsiders who promised to “drain the swamp” in Washington. His continued leadership of the party has its modern figures roasting Ryan, Boehner, and the Republicans of yesteryear who they claim did not sufficiently stand up for the whole spectrum of conservative values.

In the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, Republican contenders including Trump are focused on criticizing “woke” corporate stances by brands like Bud Light and Target for their LGBTQ-inclusive marketing. Trans rights, notably in bathroom accommodations, drag performers, and female sports, have also served as lightning rods to rally the Republican Party’s base.