Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Dave Obey of Wausau on Wednesday endorsed iron worker Randy Bryce's bid to unseat House Speaker Paul Ryan.

In unusually harsh language, Obey attacked Ryan, claiming that he "has, for far too long, gotten away with his finely tuned act of being a moderate policy wonk, fighting the good fight on behalf of his constituents in southeast Wisconsin."

"Rather, Ryan is an intellectually rigid, romantic ideologue masquerading as a moderate and pragmatic legislator," Obey said in a statement released by the Bryce campaign. "The only thing moderate about Paul Ryan is his demeanor."

Obey also claimed that Ryan has "pushed to turn (President Donald) Trump from a promise-keeper to a promise-breaker," on the issues of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Bryce is facing Janesville School Board Cathy Myers in next year's Democratic primary.