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| Paul Ryan elected House speaker with mandate to unite Republicans | Paul Ryan elected House speaker with mandate to unite Republicans |
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| Paul Ryan, the former nominee for vice-president, was elected as the 62nd speaker of the House of Representatives on Thursday, as the Republican party sought to prevent a disintegration of its congressional majority. | Paul Ryan, the former nominee for vice-president, was elected as the 62nd speaker of the House of Representatives on Thursday, as the Republican party sought to prevent a disintegration of its congressional majority. |
| The Wisconsin congressman was elected with 236 votes, and received a standing ovation in the chamber. Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader, received 184 votes from her caucus. | |
| The ascent of Ryan as a relatively centrist option to lead the conservative majority was aided with the support of the Freedom Caucus, a group of hard-right congressmen whose discontent with the outgoing speaker, John Boehner, contributed to Boehner’s resignation announcement earlier this month. | The ascent of Ryan as a relatively centrist option to lead the conservative majority was aided with the support of the Freedom Caucus, a group of hard-right congressmen whose discontent with the outgoing speaker, John Boehner, contributed to Boehner’s resignation announcement earlier this month. |
| The notoriously difficult task of imposing discipline on the Republican caucus now falls to Ryan, who arrived at the dais with the conservative wing of his party up in arms, once again, about a budget compromise earlier this week with Barack Obama. | The notoriously difficult task of imposing discipline on the Republican caucus now falls to Ryan, who arrived at the dais with the conservative wing of his party up in arms, once again, about a budget compromise earlier this week with Barack Obama. |
| Ryan’s climb was driven not only by his popularity within his party but by a broader star power. After his vice-presidential run alongside Mitt Romney in 2012, Ryan was appointed chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means committee, which sets tax policy. Speculation that he would run for president in 2016 abounded before Ryan grew a beard in January – and then said he would not run. | Ryan’s climb was driven not only by his popularity within his party but by a broader star power. After his vice-presidential run alongside Mitt Romney in 2012, Ryan was appointed chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means committee, which sets tax policy. Speculation that he would run for president in 2016 abounded before Ryan grew a beard in January – and then said he would not run. |
| Ryan, 45, who grew up in small-town Wisconsin, was seen as the rare – and perhaps only – Republican who could unify his caucus. As the author of a budget plan that proposed deep spending cuts including to well-loved entitlements like social security and Medicare, Ryan built credibility on the right as a budget hawk. As a vice presidential who has had to moderate his message for a national audience, Ryan built trust in the middle as a pragmatist instead of a purist. | Ryan, 45, who grew up in small-town Wisconsin, was seen as the rare – and perhaps only – Republican who could unify his caucus. As the author of a budget plan that proposed deep spending cuts including to well-loved entitlements like social security and Medicare, Ryan built credibility on the right as a budget hawk. As a vice presidential who has had to moderate his message for a national audience, Ryan built trust in the middle as a pragmatist instead of a purist. |
| The difficulty of steering the Republicans in the House was illustrated repeatedly in recent years, as Boehner sought to gather votes to raise limits on the amount of debt the government could hold, to renew temporary legislation to fund government agencies, to avoid government shutdowns and to avoid across-the-board budget cuts. | The difficulty of steering the Republicans in the House was illustrated repeatedly in recent years, as Boehner sought to gather votes to raise limits on the amount of debt the government could hold, to renew temporary legislation to fund government agencies, to avoid government shutdowns and to avoid across-the-board budget cuts. |
| While those emergency legislative measures took up the Congress’ attention and time, the Republicans’ broader legislative priorities – tax reform, regulatory reform, advancing social priorities – remained elusive, despite the Republicans’ current 247-188 majority in the House. | While those emergency legislative measures took up the Congress’ attention and time, the Republicans’ broader legislative priorities – tax reform, regulatory reform, advancing social priorities – remained elusive, despite the Republicans’ current 247-188 majority in the House. |
| Boehner, meanwhile, was attacked for collaborating with the White House, including on a budget deal struck earlier this week that both raises the debt ceiling and includes new funding for entitlements and the Department of Defense. | Boehner, meanwhile, was attacked for collaborating with the White House, including on a budget deal struck earlier this week that both raises the debt ceiling and includes new funding for entitlements and the Department of Defense. |
| “There’s a difference between being asked to do something and being called to do something,” said Boehner in tearful farewell remarks, declaring that Ryan had been “called.” “I wish him and his family all the best.” | “There’s a difference between being asked to do something and being called to do something,” said Boehner in tearful farewell remarks, declaring that Ryan had been “called.” “I wish him and his family all the best.” |