Conservative author and activist Daniel Horowitz said that Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) would be the “worst option” for Speaker of the House.

“Paul Ryan is the absolute worst option,” Horowitz professed. “In this case [‘worst’] really applies.”

Horowitz joined guest host Matthew Boyle on Breitbart News Sunday on SiriusXM to discuss the race for House Speaker. The race is now wide open because Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) pulled out of the race, leaving Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) scrambling to find a replacement Speaker.

When considering any Speaker candidate, “you got to look at where they’re coming from, where they’re going,” Horowitz explained. “It’s what are their priorities and how do they carry themselves?”

“Paul Ryan is perceived as …this amazing, articulate, sincere conservative…but, in reality, this is the guy that cuts every budget deal,” he reminded the listeners.

Horowitz, the senior editor of Conservative Review, also slammed Ryan on his long record pushing for large-scale immigration, saying “I think he’s genuinely sincere… He is a true believer. And that’s scary.”

Ryan is especially dangerous because he is widely respected, Horowitz said. “You could find other terrible [candidates]… but the difference is there’s nobody else that garners so much respect,” said Horowitz. Some “people will follow him off the cliff,” he warned.

The House Freedom Caucus should push for a wide-open debate on the next speaker, he said. Fifteen or 20 candidates for Speaker of the House would be great, he said, adding “let everyone present their case.”

“That’s how you get the most competition – that’s a good thing. It’s not chaos, that’s democracy,” he said.

“We should all learn from the [2012] presidential election [and not pick the] presumptive frontrunner, no ‘Next in line,’” Horowitz said. “Let’s have that in the Speaker’s race.”

But it is up to the House Freedom Caucus to build a debate, he said.  “It’s tough when you have 200 [other GOP legislators] glaring at you…but what they need to remember is the people are with them.”

“They need to say ‘We need a fresh face,’” Horowitz said. “The existing people are unacceptable.”

And if Ryan does not run, the race is wide-open, he said. “Without Ryan, this is a jump ball.”