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House Republicans Nominate Pick Paul Ryan for Speaker

House Republicans Nominate Pick Paul Ryan for Speaker

Paul Ryan

The Republicans will submit his nomination to the full House tomorrow, and approval is expected, but it's not a positive development for LGBT Americans.

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The House Republican conference today officially chose Paul Ryan as its candidate for speaker by a vote of 200 to 43.

The Wisconsin representative and former vice-presidential candidate's speakership will be voted on by the full House tomorrow, and approval is expected. He will succeed John Boehner, who is retiring, and is likely to be just as much an impediment to LGBT-supportive legislation as Boehner has been.

Boehner has refused to bring antidiscrimination legislation to the House floor, despite the passage of such bills in the Senate. Ryan voted in favor of such legislation once -- in 2007, when the version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act under consideration covered only sexual orientation, not gender identity. But Ryan's vote came only after he tried to kill the bill by sending it back to committee.

He has since said he would probably vote for future antidiscrimination legislation, although he said he would need more information on the inclusion of gender identity. Also, although he voted against repealing "don't ask, don't tell," he subsequently called the matter a settled issue and won't try to reinstate the discriminatory policy.

Ryan's vote on ENDA in 2007 led one right-wing activist to call him a "Trojan horse" for the "homosexual lobby," but in reality Ryan's record is solidly anti-LGBT. As speaker, he would not generally vote on or cosponsor legislation, but he would set the agenda for the House, and he most likely would not prioritize LGBT-supportive bills.

Ryan was initially reluctant to consider the speakership but last week decided he would run if Republicans would unify behind him in a race that was shaken up by California Rep. Kevin McCarthy's unexpected withdrawal. Tomorrow's vote will probably be more unified among Republicans than today's was, MSNBC reports, as today members of the far-right Freedom Caucus continued supporting their pick, Rep. Daniel Webster of Florida. They are expected to unite behind Ryan tomorrow, while many Democrats may vote for one of their own, such as Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who held the speaker's post the last time Democrats had a majority of seats in the House. However, Ryan remains predited to win.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.