Chaffetz: Ryan ‘Checks Every Box’ for Speaker

If rebel conservatives and establishment Republicans in the House can agree on anything, it’s likely supporting Paul Ryan for speaker.

One Republican close to Ryan said that the only scenario in which Ryan might end up as speaker is if he were to be selected by unanimous acclamation, not subject to bargaining with the Freedom Caucus. “Paul Ryan is the kind of individual that would work with people on the other side of the aisle and that’s what we need”, the Illinois Democrat said of Ryan on Friday, CNN reported.

Lawmakers said they were hoping to coalesce around a candidate, but how quickly that happens continues to depend on Ryan’s next move. The 2012 vice presidential nominee issued a statement Thursday saying he would rather stay on in his current position as chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, shortly after McCarthy surprised the Capitol by dropping out of the speaker’s race, a race he had been expected to win. “He did what was best for the House of Representatives and the country, and I applaud his decision”.

“If he (Ryan) decides to do it, he’ll be an wonderful speaker”, McCarthy told reporters. Webster told him it all came out of his own experience as a newcomer.

“I think he would be an individual who could help bring the House together”. I think our group would be favorable towards him.

“No more business as usual”, Jordan said. “We’re more than happy to”, he said. “What are we going to do in the House to change the culture?”

“Great example is Tim Huelskamp, a congressman from Kansas, a place where they have a bit of agriculture, was kicked off the Agriculture Committee, because he wouldn’t do what the top people in the house told him to do”, Jordan said. Ryan points to his young family as the source of his reluctance to take the job, which requires constant travel and fundraising.

“Paul Ryan’s been meeting with everyone non-stop”, Issa said. But before that can be assessed, it’s possible the fate of Ryan’s candidacy, and to a few extent the future of the Republican Party itself, may now depend on whether or not Ryan’s wife Janna will add her endorsement to the pile. All I want to do is what I did in Florida-push down that pyramid of power, spread out the base so that every member gets to be effective.

Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), who challenged Boehner for the speaker’s gavel at the beginning of 114th Congress, may now be his likely successor because he has been endorsed by the Freedom Caucus, which is made up of 40 members of the House from right wing of the party.

Jordan said members of his group are willing to compromise on legislation, but they don’t want to “forfeit to the White House before the game starts.”. “All 247 members won an election”. “Now, you want to ask basically why I’m pro-life? I’ve earned that reputation over six and a half years“, he said. “I am not running against a personality or a name”.

“We have a lot of folks waiting on Paul Ryan to decide what he’s going to do”, Conaway said.