Article snippet: In February, as approval ratings for the GOP tax cuts ticked up, Speaker MORE briefly considered running for an 11th term in Congress. But the Wisconsin Republican gradually changed his mind in the days that followed. And on Wednesday — roughly seven weeks before the June 1 filing deadline in his state — Ryan called it quits, saying this year would be his last in Congress. Ryan explained that he was announcing his retirement after 2 1/2 years on the job to give other Republicans enough time to jump into the race, raise money and hold his 1st Congressional District seat. Running for reelection, and then resigning immediately after the Nov. 6 midterm elections, would be the “normal politician thing,” Ryan said. “That is what I'm told is the politically shrewd thing to do. I considered that,” Ryan told reporters in a news conference after informing rank-and-file Republicans of his decision. He cast the decision to announce his retirement now as being in the best interests of his district, since it assured that constituents would get to vote for a Republican who intended to serve in the House after Election Day. “But just as my conscience is what got me to take this job in the first place, my conscience could not handle going out that way,” he said. Ryan had been facing a well-funded challenge by Democratic union ironworker Randy Bryce, who goes by the nickname “Iron Stache.” While he was favored to win reelection and the Cook Political Report before his announcemen... Link to the full article to read more