By Tom Kludt
WASHINGTON — (CNN) Paul Ryan might be done defending Donald Trump, but the House speaker said Tuesday that he still followed through on his pledge to vote for the Republican Party’s presidential nominee.
Ryan told Fox News that he already cast his vote in his hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin, but didn’t use the real estate mogul’s name.
“I stand where I’ve stood all fall and all summer,” Ryan said during an appearance on “Fox and Friends.” “In fact I already voted here in Janesville for our nominee last week in early voting. We need to support our entire Republican ticket.”
The Wisconsin Republican has had a tense relationship with Trump throughout the campaign, with Ryan frequently drawing the ire of the real estate mogul.
While Trump is in Wisconsin for a rally Tuesday night, Ryan said he didn’t find out it was happening until 10 minutes before the 8:30 a.m. ET Fox interview.
“I didn’t know that,” Ryan said, before adding that he’s on his way to campaign for Republicans in Indiana.
After a recording emerged last month in which Trump could be heard bragging about groping women, Ryan told his fellow Republicans that he would no longer defend the party’s presidential nominee. Trump fired back on Twitter, chastising Ryan for undermining the GOP’s efforts.
But on Tuesday, Ryan said he would welcome Trump over what he suggested would be a scandal-ridden Hillary Clinton presidency.
“This is what life with the Clintons look like,” Ryan said, alluding to the revelation that the FBI is reviewing new emails associated with a top Clinton aide. “There’s always a scandal, one after another, there’s an investigation.”
“So they can’t win, and she can come in with Democratic congress — worst of all possible things — if Republicans do not turn out and do not vote,” he said.
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