Ryan challenger says he is thinking about a rematch

March 08--The manufacturing executive who ran against Rep. Paul Ryan in August's Republican primary says he's thinking about running for the 1st Congressional District seat again in 2018.

Paul Nehlen of rural Delavan issued a news release Wednesday criticizing Ryan on a number of points, mostly for the just-released House plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.

"Most importantly, it should be said that Paul Ryan's bill doesn't even repeal Obamacare according to its own language," Nehlen wrote. "The first page of the bill explains that this bill simply amends Obamacare. Anything short of a full repeal should be dead on arrival."

Ryan for Congress spokesman Zack Roday responded in an email with this sentence: "The American Health Care Act repeals and replaces Obamacare."

Nehlen joins a number of Republicans who are criticizing the bill from a right-wing perspective. Some are calling it Obamacare Light.

Nehlen said in his statement that he is involved in "waging the battle against the refugee resettlement racket and leading the cause to fight for America's values."

Nehlen has been soliciting donations via Twitter in recent months to produce a movie that he says would show how "radical Islam" is trying to take over the West through immigration.

If he does run, Nehlen has a lot of work to do. Ryan's last report to the Federal Election Commission showed he had $9 million cash on hand.

Nehlen's last report showed $48,164 cash on hand, but his committee owed $62,666.

Ryan also has the advantage of being Speaker of the House, which affords him lots of no-cost time on national TV.

Ryan won the 1st District Republican primary Aug. 9 with 84 percent of the vote.

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