Rep. Paul Ryan, R- Wis., speaks at a news conference following a House GOP meeting on Capitol Hill on Oct. 20, 2015.(Photo: Andrew Harnik, AP)
WASHINGTON — Rep. Paul Ryan officially announced his bid Thursday night to become the next<span style="color: Red;">*</span>House speaker after<span style="color: Red;">*</span>securing backing from the three major political factions inside the House GOP conference.
"I never thought I’d be speaker," Ryan wrote in a letter to his Republican colleagues. "But I pledged to you that if I could be a unifying figure, then I would serve<span style="color: Red;">*</span>—<span style="color: Red;">*</span>I would go all in. After talking with so many of you, and hearing your words of encouragement, I believe we are ready to move forward as one, united team. And I am ready and eager to be our speaker."
The Wisconsin Republican snapped up<span style="color: Red;">*</span>endorsements from a centrist Republican caucus called the Tuesday Group<span style="color: Red;">*</span>as well as from the more conservative Republican<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Study Committee.
“After hearing Paul lay out his vision for the future of the Republican conference, I am confident that he is the right person to lead the House going forward,” Rep. Bill Flores, chairman of the RSC, said in a statement Thursday. “He has the policy expertise, conservative principles and strong values we need in our next speaker.”
The endorsements<span style="color: Red;">*</span>came after Ryan won<span style="color: Red;">*</span>support from most<span style="color: Red;">*</span>members of<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the House Freedom Caucus — a group of about 40 hard-line conservatives — late Wednesday night.
"I’ve spoken with many of you over the past few days, and I can sense the hunger in our conference to get to work," Ryan wrote. "I know many of you want to show the country how to fix our tax code, how to rebuild our military, how to strengthen the safety net, and how to lift people out of poverty. I know you’re willing to work hard and get it done, and I think this moment is ripe for real reform."
Ryan, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and the 2012 Republican vice presidential nominee, announced Tuesday he would run for the top leadership job<span style="color: Red;">*</span>if he got support from all GOP factions. He gave his colleagues until Friday to decide whether to support him.
He had repeatedly said he did not want the job but was pressed to run by Republicans who see him as the best candidate to unite the GOP conference.
"Whatever our differences, we’re all conservatives," Ryan wrote in his<span style="color: Red;">*</span>letter. "We were elected to defend the constitution. We share the same principles. We all believe America is the land of opportunity — the place where you should be able to go as far as your talents and hard work will take you."
Republicans will choose a new speaker next week — voting in conference next Wednesday to pick their nominee and on the House floor next Thursday. Outgoing House Speaker<span style="color: Red;">*</span>John Boehner, R-Ohio,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>is set to resign next Friday.
The rebellious Freedom Caucus was Ryan’s biggest obstacle to becoming speaker. He did not win the group’s official backing because he fell short of its requirement that at least<span style="color: Red;">*</span>80% of its members agree on an<span style="color: Red;">*</span>endorsement.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>He won support from about 70% of caucus<span style="color: Red;">*</span>members.
The caucus' qualified support, combined with endorsements from the other two GOP groups, are enough to clear Ryan's path —<span style="color: Red;">*</span>and possibly end the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>weeks-long leadership scramble<span style="color: Red;">*</span>inside the House GOP conference.
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