WASHINGTON _ Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence declined three times to answer the question of whether Paul D. Ryan should be re-elected as House speaker, during an interview with the National Journal.
"My respect for Paul Ryan is boundless," he said twice. "I'm not a member of the House Republican conference anymore. I wouldn't presume upon what the members of the conference choose."
A spokesman for Pence later told the Journal that Pence would support Ryan if he were still serving in the House.
Though Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has openly feuded with Ryan at times, Pence had largely stayed away from criticizing his former colleague for not openly embracing Trump.