JANESVILLE, Wis.- House Speaker Paul Ryan has defeated a longshot Republican primary challenger who had been praised by Donald Trump.

Ryan beat businessman Paul Nehlen (NEEL'-uhn) in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary. Nehlen had been courting Trump supporters and won praise from the Republican presidential nominee last week. But Trump endorsed Ryan days later.

Ryan had largely ignored Nehlen in what had been a sleepy primary before Trump thanked Nehlen on Twitter for his comments defending Trump. Nehlen won the backing of some prominent conservative figures, including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, but it wasn't enough to overcome Ryan's popularity in his southeastern Wisconsin district.

Ryan was first elected in 1998 and this is his first re-election win since becoming speaker last fall.