PRESIDENTIAL RACE | Ryan to Trump: Worry about defeating Democrats

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Paul Ryan is responding to Donald Trump’s jibes by urging him to spend more time trying to defeat Democrats than fighting fellow Republicans.

Ryan spokesman Brendan Buck said today that “Paul Ryan is focusing the next month on defeating Democrats and all Republicans running for office should probably do the same.”

The missive from Ryan’s office followed a series of tweets by Trump lashing out at Republican leaders, including Ryan, whom Trump called “our very weak and ineffective leader.”

Trump said in another tweet that “it is hard to do well when Paul Ryan and others give zero support!”

Ryan told fellow Republicans on Monday that he’s focusing exclusively on retaining the House and won’t campaign for Trump. That upset some Trump loyalists.

Trump unleashed a new volley of tweets today saying “the shackles have been taken off me” as the Republican nominee embarks on the final four weeks of his presidential campaign.

Trump, reeling after the release of a vulgar 2005 video and subsequent Republican defections, has tweeted several times today criticizing Republicans for abandoning him, including suggesting that “the Dems have always proven to be far more loyal to each other than the Republicans!”