Former House Speaker Paul Ryan grew up admiring Ronald Reagan and wielded political power under Donald Trump. So, it was Ryan, the former Wisconsin lawmaker who represented Janesville and the 1st Congressional District for 20 years, who was selected to lead off a speaker series on the future of the Republican Party and the conservative movement. The setting: the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. “Once again, we conservatives find ourselves at a crossroads," Ryan will say, according to excerpts of the speech he's expected to give Thursday night. Without naming Trump, Ryan will add: "And here’s one reality we have to face. If the conservative cause depends on the populist appeal of one personality, or on second-rate imitations, then we’re not going anywhere. Voters looking for Republican leaders want to see independence and mettle."