TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas congressman Tim Huelskamp is resisting Paul Ryan’s appeals for GOP lawmakers to rally behind him as House speaker and questions the Wisconsin Republican’s interest in the job.
Huelskamp, who continues to comment on national news including KMAN’s own CBS news, said Wednesday that conditions Ryan has outlined for taking the job leaves the impression with him that Ryan doesn’t really want to be speaker.
Huelskamp, who just last week visited Leonardville in a Town Hall meeting covered by KMAN, is a tea party favorite who represents the 1st District of western and central Kansas, including Manhattan and Riley County.
He is among the hard-line GOP conservatives who forced House Speaker John Boehner to announce plans to retire at the end of the month. Boehner stripped Huelskamp of plum committee assignments late in 2012.
Ryan is insisting on Republican unity and rules changes before he formally seeks the speaker’s job.
Huelskamp said, “I don’t think they are all reasonable demands.”
