Democratic Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan told the hosts of “The View” Thursday that he wanted to send President Donald Trump to Mar-a-Lago full time.
Ryan appeared on the ABC talk show just hours after his 2020 presidential campaign website went live, making his bid for the Democratic nomination official.
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Co-host Meghan McCain challenged Ryan, who labels himself a centrist Democrat, asking whether he thought he might struggle to get support from the more progressive wing of his own party. (RELATED: ‘My Father Lives Rent Free In Your Head’: Meghan McCain Spars With Trump)
“I interpreted you as not being as progressive as the majority of candidates,” McCain began. “I think you’ll get attacked by people in your own party. You tried to challenge Nancy Pelosi as party leader. How are you going to win over the progressive wing of the party who think that the Green New Deal is the most important challenge for Americans right now?”
Ryan responded by explaining that he had strengths that the more progressive candidates might not have.
“I’m just going to be myself and be for the things I’ve always been for,” he said. “I think that most progressives will see that as a candidate that can not only advance a progressive agenda but also win. I can win western Pennsylvania, I can win Ohio, and I can win Michigan. That means Donald Trump is going back to Mar-a-Lago full-time.”
As the audience cheered, co-host Ana Navarro shook her head.
“Oh, god, no. I’m from Florida,” she touched Ryan’s arm and added, “Please, keep him in Bedminster.”
Ryan challenged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2016, launching an unsuccessful bid to be the House Minority Leader.