Ryan: Clinton ‘very beatable’

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Sunday said Hillary Clinton is “very beatable” because a 2016 win by the former secretary of State would essentially be a continuation of the Obama administration. 

“She’s very formidable. She’ll raise a lot money, she has a lot of name ID,” Ryan told the Tampa Bay Times during an event to promote his new book. “But I think Hillary Clinton is very beatable because a Hillary Clinton presidency is basically the same thing as an Obama third term. I don’t think she’ll be able to shake that.” 

{mosads}As Clinton considers another White House bid, however, she has been seen recently as trying to distance herself from President Obama. 

Ryan, the chairman of the House Budget Committee and 2012 GOP vice presidential nominee, said he won’t make a decision about running for president until next year. His decision to run, he said, will be based on his family and the field of candidates.

Ryan praised former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-Fla.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as potential candidates, calling them “absolutely cream of the crop, top-tier leaders who would make great candidates or presidents.”

An average of recent polls from RealClearPolitics.com, the report noted, found Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) topped the GOP field with 11.5 percent support. Bush came in second with 10.8 percent, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) came in third with 10.3 percent and Ryan came in fourth with 9.3 percent support.