Paul Ryan Spox Posts Six-Word Tweet to Drudge After Website Pushes Possibility of Ryan Candidacy

The communications director for House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) posted a six-word response Thursday night to a Drudge Report headline suggesting the speaker may still throw his hat in the 2016 race.

"Nope, but thanks for the clicks!" Mike Ricci tweeted.

The tweet came after Internet mogul Matt Drudge posted a link on his website questioning whether a 43-second video the speaker's communications team had put together was a campaign ad for the presidency.

"PAUL RYAN LAUNCHES FIRST CAMPAIGN AD?" Drudge asked.

PAUL RYAN LAUNCHES FIRST CAMPAIGN AD? https://t.co/H0szDhzrhV

— DRUDGE REPORT (@DRUDGE_REPORT) April 7, 2016

In a more formal statement, Ryan press secretary AshLee Strong explained the purpose of the video.

"Upon taking this job, Speaker Ryan was clear he would need to do things differently. Speaker Ryan is a communications speaker, as he promised. Ryan introduced the ‘#confidentamerica’ theme in a speech at the start of his speakership," Strong said in a statement provided to TheBlaze. "The ‘State of American’ politics speech was a natural follow up. American should be confident in its policies and politics."

The 43-second video linked to by Drudge is not the first of its kind produced by Ryan's communications team. Last month, the speaker released a similar short video and posted it online.

Ryan has repeatedly rebuffed suggestions that he may launch a bid for — or accept — the Republican nomination for president. Such denials have failed to quell speculation about the possibility, however.

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