Politico: Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan Leaning Towards Challenging Pelosi
(CNN) -- Ohio Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan is considering challenging House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for the top spot in the party as a potential leadership shakeup in the House Democratic caucus looms.
Though he wouldn't commit to challenging Pelosi, Ryan is "strongly leaning" in that direction, according to a Monday report by Politico.
In the weeks since New York Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley lost his seat to Democratic-Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a stunning upset, questions have emerged surrounding the direction of the party and its leadership, Ryan said.
"The Crowley race changed a lot for a lot of us," Ryan said in an interview with Politico. "There was a lot of assumption that he was going to be moving forward in leadership, and so losing that election put everybody in a state of mind to re-evaluate what was happening."
Ryan says he wouldn't throw his hat in the ring unless he thought he could win, saying "I'm not going to do it just to do it."
In an interview with Rolling Stone published Sunday, Pelosi said those calling for a new generation of leadership, such as Ryan and Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Massachusetts, were "inconsequential," adding that "they don't have a following in our caucus. None."
"I have great support in my caucus. I'm not worried about that. And I'm certainly not worried about them," she said.
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