John Kline in running to be speaker but says he supports Paul Ryan

WASHINGTON -- Outgoing Republican Rep. John Kline is in discussions with the GOP leadership to run for speaker of the U.S. House, but only if former vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan declines to run.

Kline, who was first elected to the House in 2002, announced in September he wasn't seeking another term in the U.S. House of Representatives, would serve as an interim speaker through the rest of this Congress, which wraps up at the end of next year.

Kline is known to be a very close friend of current House Speaker John Boehner, who announced he planned to leave Congress at the end of October. Kline serves in GOP leadership and is chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee.

The two are known for late night talks in their offices over cigars, for Kline, and cigarettes, for Boehner.

Kline declined interviews Friday, but his spokesman Troy Young said Kline is actively urging Ryan to go for the speaker's job.

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http://www.startribune.com/rep-john-kline-in-running-to-be-speaker-but-says-he-supports-paul-ryan/331646361

(And I was thinking the other day that Michele missed her chances..)