janesville, wis.<u+2014>house speaker paul ryan on wednesday struck a positive tone toward president-elect donald trump, saying a united republican party will stand together after mr. trump<u+2019>s stunning election victory, work to repeal the 2010 health-care law and enact other priorities on the gop agenda. <u+201c>this is the most incredible political feat i<u+2019>ve seen in my lifetime,<u+201d> mr. ryan said at a news conference in his hometown here, where as expected he won his own re-election bid. <u+201c>donald trump heard a voice out in this country that no one else heard<u+2026>he connected in ways with people that no one else did.<u+201d> mr. ryan, who said he had spoken with mr. trump last night and again this morning to congratulate him, said he believed the republican party<u+2019>s wins in the senate and house, which enable them to maintain control of both chambers next year, will allow the president-elect to lead a <u+201c>unified<u+201d> government and break through washington gridlock. among the tasks for the republican congress, mr. ryan said, will be to repeal and replace the affordable care act passed by president barack obama, a law he described as <u+201c>collapsing under its own weight.<u+201d> <u+201c>now we have president trump coming who is asking us to do this,<u+201d> he said, referring to the health-care law. he didn<u+2019>t elaborate on what will happen to those who are covered by the law currently and whether they will lose their health insurance. the house speaker and mr. trump have had a testy relationship, with mr. ryan offering only tepid support for the republican nominee during the election campaign. often during the campaign mr. ryan didn<u+2019>t mention mr. trump by name, and mr. trump, for his part, has labeled the speaker an ineffective and weak leader, blaming him for splintering the party. on wednesday, mr. ryan said that his party<u+2019>s gains this election were on the <u+201c>coattails<u+201d> of mr. trump, adding that their relationship <u+201c>is fine.<u+201d> he also reaffirmed that he would run again as house speaker. republicans maintained control of the house in tuesday<u+2019>s elections, though they lost a handful of seats that makes their margin of control narrower and could make mr. ryan<u+2019>s job more difficult. <u+201c>we are going to hit the ground running,<u+201d> he added, pledging to heal the campaign<u+2019>s divisions. <u+201c>there is relief coming, this is good for our country.<u+201d> he didn<u+2019>t comment on whether congress would support mr. trump<u+2019>s election promise to build a wall along the border of mexico, or whether he<u+2019>d back funding for it. <u+2014>kristina peterson contributed to this article. write to shibani mahtani at shibani.mahtani@wsj.com
paul ryan says republicans will unite behind donald trump<u+2019>s presidency - wsj
shibani mahtani