Nothing makes the minority leader more mad than when his side is forced to play by its own rules.

I just think the mood of the country is now that people don't necessarily want an elected official to tell them how they ought to cast their vote. Matter of fact, it's the opposite, and they want to express themselves, and they have a right to, and I'll respect their choice.

I don't really think it's appropriate for me to be picking and choosing in the primaries. It's pretty dumb politics for a Republican to choose between Republicans in a contested primary because obviously you're going to be offending some people.

I think that what people want is for government to function... not through temper tantrums and saying we are not going to participate, we are not going to play ball.

I think many people simply feel like they don't recognize their country anymore.

It doesn't hurt to show some empathy.

Believe it or not, one of the things I try to do around here is try to look for opportunities to work with people across the aisle. I know that's not the common narrative. But the truth is if you want to get anything done, that's an absolute requirement.

I can't imagine the American people voting for Hillary Clinton to serve basically the third term of Barack Obama. And I think whoever the Republican primary voters and the delegates nominate, I will support that nominee wholeheartedly against a Hillary Clinton candidacy.

My goal has always been to figure out how we can advance the conservative cause.

In my experience, endorsements by public officials, they don't count for anything.