Ryan was actually popular with the TEA party at one time. He came to town promising to end entitlements - by sending them to the states. And he was the first guy to roundly school and embarrass new King Barry - on LIVE TV, the health-care summit. Ryan' star hit its apex that day.
Ryan always suffered from BigPlanItis. His plans were too involved and relied on good things happening across multiple Congress sessions. I believe he meant well initially. He soured quickly as made friends on the Hill and learned to trade compromises with them.
Ryan was already well experienced creating awful, multi part plans before he did the same with TrumpRyanCare. Basically, the plan was for us all to take legislative poison in year one, count on some admin level things for a time, then next Congress would pass the antidote. Trump liked it. HFC wisely did not.
Ryan did push through the tax plan over every Democrats’ opposition. That was a big deal.