Paul Ryan

=== 114th Congress ===
{{main|October 2015 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election}}
[[File:Speaker Ryan and Boehner.tif|thumb|Speaker Ryan (left) shakes hands with outgoing Speaker John Boehner (right)]]
[[File:King Salman.png|thumb|King [[Salman of Saudi Arabia]] speaks with Ryan in April 2016]]

On September 25, 2015, [[John Boehner]] formally announced to House Republicans his intention to resign from the speakership and the House.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/09/25/john-boehner-resigns-house-speaker/72793398/| title=Amid revolt, Boehner steps aside to avoid 'irreparable harm' to Congress| first=Deirdre |last=Shesgreen| others=Contributing: Cooper Allen, Paul Singer, Chrissie Thompson, David Jackson, Ray Locker and Erin Kelly| work=USA Today |date=September 25, 2015| access-date=February 5, 2019}}</ref> Among those interested in the post, [[Kevin McCarthy]]—who had wide support among Republicans, including Boehner, and Ryan, who was set to officially nominate him—was considered the presumptive favorite.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://time.com/4050341/john-boehner-speaker-kevin-mccarthy-house/|title=Meet Kevin McCarthy: The Frontrunner to Replace John Boehner|first=Jay |last=Newton-Small|magazine=Time|access-date=October 10, 2015}}</ref><ref name="NYT Speaker">{{cite news| last1=Steinhauer| first1=Jennifer| last2=Herszenhorn| first2=David M.| title=Kevin McCarthy Drops Out of House Speaker Race, Creating G.O.P. Chaos|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/09/us/politics/house-speaker-vote.html|access-date=October 8, 2015|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 8, 2015}}</ref> His candidacy was opposed by conservative House Republicans of the [[Freedom Caucus]], and when it became clear that caucus members would not support his candidacy, McCarthy withdrew his name from consideration on October 8. This led many Republicans to turn to Ryan as a compromise candidate. The push included a plea from Boehner, who reportedly told Ryan that he was the only person who could unite the House Republicans at a time of turmoil.<ref name="WP Speaker">{{cite news|last1=Costa|first1=Robert|last2=Helderman|first2=Rosalind S.|last3=DeBonis|first3=Mike|title=House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy drops out of race for House speaker|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2015/10/08/house-majority-leader-kevin-mccarthy-drops-out-of-race-for-house-speaker|access-date=October 8, 2015|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 8, 2015}}</ref> Ryan released a statement that said, "While I am grateful for the encouragement I've received, I will not be a candidate."<ref name="USA Today Speaker">{{cite news|last1=Slack|first1=Donovan|title=Rep. Paul Ryan on House speaker's job: Thanks, but no thanks|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/10/08/rep-paul-ryan-wisconsin-house-speakers-job-thanks-but-no-thanks/73588750/|access-date=October 8, 2015|newspaper=USA Today|date=October 8, 2015}}</ref> The next day however, close aides of Ryan's confirmed that Ryan had re-evaluated the situation, and was considering the possibility of a run.<ref name="eyes on ryan">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2015/10/09/all-eyes-on-paul-ryan-as-house-gop-looks-to-regroup/|title=Wooing Chairman Ryan: Paul Ryan remains on sidelines as House GOP looks to regroup|first=Mike|last=DeBonis|date=October 9, 2015|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=October 9, 2015}}</ref><ref name="CNN Ryan">{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/09/politics/house-speaker-race-paul-ryan|title=Paul Ryan considering running for speaker|work=CNN|access-date=October 10, 2015|date=October 9, 2015}}</ref>

Ryan confirmed on October 22, that he would seek the speakership after receiving the endorsements of two factions of House Republicans, including the conservative [[Freedom Caucus]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Steinhauer|first1=Jennifer|title=Paul Ryan Will Seek to Become House Speaker|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/23/us/politics/house-gop-factions-lining-up-for-paul-ryan-as-speaker.html|access-date=October 22, 2015|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 22, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=DeBonis|first1=Mike|title=Paul Ryan goes all in: 'I am ready and eager to be our speaker'|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2015/10/22/paul-ryan-goes-all-in-i-am-ready-and-eager-to-be-our-speaker|access-date=October 22, 2015|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 22, 2015}}</ref> Ryan, upon confirming his bid for the speakership, stated, "I never thought I'd be speaker. But I pledged to you that if I could be a unifying figure, then I would serve – 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."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Paul Ryan's winning pitch to House Republicans|date=October 22, 2015|url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/22/politics/paul-ryan-house-speaker-announcement/index.html|work=CNN|access-date=October 23, 2015}}</ref>

On October 29, Ryan was elected Speaker, receiving 236 votes, an [[Supermajority#Majority of the entire membership|absolute majority]] of the 435-member chamber. [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Nancy Pelosi]] received 184 votes, with 12 more going to others.<ref name=CRS-RL30857>{{cite web| last1=Heitshusen| first1=Valerie| last2=Beth| first2=Richard S.| title=Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913–2019| date=January 4, 2019| work=CRS Report for Congress| page=8| url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL30857.pdf| publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]], the [[Library of Congress]]| location=Washington, D.C.| access-date=January 11, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/30/us/politics/paul-ryan-set-to-take-over-as-speaker-hoping-to-manage-the-chaos.html|title=Paul Ryan Is Elected House Speaker, Hoping to Manage Chaos|first=Jennifer|last=Steinhauer|date=October 29, 2015|access-date=October 29, 2015|work=The New York Times}}</ref> After the vote Ryan delivered his first remarks as speaker-elect and was [[Oath of office#Federal executive and legislative branch oaths|sworn in]] by [[John Conyers]], the [[Dean of the United States House of Representatives|dean of the House]], becoming, at age {{age|1970|1|29|2015|10|29}}, the youngest person elected as speaker since [[James G. Blaine]] (age {{age|1830|1|31|1869|3|4}}) in 1869.<ref>{{Cite AV media notes| title=House Session| date=October 29, 2015| url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?328947-1/paul-ryan-elected-speaker-house-year-ago| type=Liner notes| publisher=[[C-SPAN]]| access-date=January 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Paul Ryan is so young it's like he was elected speaker in 1850|author=Philip Bump|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/10/29/paul-ryan-is-so-young-its-like-he-was-elected-speaker-in-1850/|date=October 29, 2015}}</ref> Later, he named lobbyist [[John David Hoppe]] as his [[chief of staff]].<ref name=washingtonpost-ryan-names-hoppe>{{cite news|last1=Costa|first1=Robert|title=Paul Ryan taps GOP power broker David Hoppe for top job|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2015/10/25/paul-ryan-taps-lobbyist-david-hoppe-for-top-job/|access-date=October 28, 2015|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=October 25, 2015}}</ref><ref name=thinkprogress-ryan-hoppe>{{cite news|last1=Israel|first1=Josh|title=Speaker Of The House Front-Runner Appoints Corporate Lobbyist As Chief-Of-Staff|url=http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/10/26/3715989/paul-ryan-chief-lobbyist-revolving-door/|access-date=October 28, 2015|agency=[[Think Progress]]|date=October 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807003308/http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/10/26/3715989/paul-ryan-chief-lobbyist-revolving-door/|archive-date=August 7, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Ryan became the leader of the House Republicans upon becoming Speaker. However, by tradition, he largely stopped taking part in debate and made only a few votes from the floor. He was also not a member of any committees.