It’s a striking change in tone for Paul Ryan, who now finds himself in a dogfight to keep his historically large GOP majority. | Getty Ryan: 'Nightmare' if Clinton wins and Democrats take Congress

MADISON, Wis. — Paul Ryan warned voters Friday evening of a “nightmare scenario” in which Democrats seize control of Congress — the first time he’s publicly vocalized his fear that Hillary Clinton could sweep away his entire GOP majority.

On an early evening interview on Madison News Talk WIBA, the speaker told host Vicki McKenna that a Democratic-controlled White House and Congress would re-set the clock on liberal policies enacted by the Obama Administration — but worse.


“This is the nightmare scenario facing our country right now: If Hillary Clinton wins and sweeps in a Democratic House and a Democratic Senate, she will have the same kind of open-field running that Barack Obama had in those first two years,” Ryan said. “President Obama got most of what he wanted in his first two years when he had total control of Congress.”

It’s a striking change in tone for Ryan, who now finds himself in a dogfight to keep his historically large GOP majority. Republicans were expected to lose a handful of seats. But with Donald Trump sinking in the polls amid allegations of sexual harassment and a barrage of headlines blaring his crude comments about women, Republicans worry their nominee will bring down the House majority with him.

Ryan told donors during a private phone call Wednesday, just two days after he announced to his conference that he would break with Trump and focus his efforts on protecting the House.

Ryan expressed his concern publicly for the first time Friday.

“There is a huge stake here, and that is if Hillary Clinton gets in and brings with her a Democratic Congress, she is going to do the same kind of things Barack Obama did the firs two years — but she’ll build on what he did and that is the important area we have to point out,” he said.

Ryan argued that if voters keep Republicans in charge, they can change that course through his “Better Way” policy agenda.

“We House Republicans are actually tackling these problems by offering solutions,” he said. “We actually have an agenda… a very bold specific agenda to deal with all of this, to fix all of this, and we’re running on it.”

