Story highlights Paul Ryan vehemently denied reports he's not going to be in Congress after 2018

But he also said he hasn't decided if he's running for reelection

(CNN) We offer here the very different reactions we've seen from House Speaker Paul Ryan in his future over the last few days.

The signals are decidedly mixed from Ryan, triumphant over his first big legislative victory as speaker and arguably the biggest Republican policy victory in a generation.

On the one hand, his camp forcefully rejected the notion that he would leave his powerful role as Speaker. But then during a television victory lap, Ryan wouldn't say if he's running for reelection.

What's going on here is simple. Despite their very big week with passage of a huge buffet of tax cuts, Republicans are running into some very stiff headwinds in 2018.

Ryan, who prides himself on being a policy wonk, who has also been his party's vice presidential nominee in 2012 and found a way to be begged into the job of speaker when John Boehner retired, is an even more accomplished politician.

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