Paul D. Ryan

The Speaker of the House position has caused much drama over the past month. First, current Speaker John Boehner seemingly out of nowhere announced he would be stepping down by October 30 from the position. Then, frontrunner and consensus successor Kevin McCarthy made some controversial remarks about the purpose of the Hilary Clinton's Benghazi hearings, suggesting that they have been so prominent and long-lasting in order to hurt her campaign. Then he announced he was dropping out of the race, leaving a void with no clear answer. One suggestion was Paul Ryan, but he publicly denied the position. With the October 30th mark looming, the GOP was in disarray.

The circus ended this week. Everything changed when Ryan went back on his previous statement and announced his intention to accept the position, if elected. He was nominated on Wednesday and the House elected Paul D. Ryan Thursday, October 29, as Speaker of the House, finally taking over for John Boehner. As Jeffrey noted, Ryan is the youngest Speaker in over a century. This, plus his moderate stances on a multitude of issues (also noted by Jeffery) may give Ryan the energy and enthusiasm to deal with stubbornness on both sides of the aisle that drove Boehner to his eventual resignation. But Ryan has not accepted the position with any excitement. He has reservations about the conflict in Congress and how it will affect his job. He does not want to give up his "family weekend time" and says that other Republican leaders must help with fundraising. Because the Republicans needed him to take the job more than he needs the job, his demands will likely be met by the rest of the GOP. 

What kind of leader will Paul Ryan be? Some say that he will be strong because of his background as a Congressional staffer. Being a staffer, some argue, gives Ryan a better understanding of what goes into the job, like dealing with members, deadlines, process, and a love of the job. Others believe that he will not get support from certain Republicans despite his plea for party unity. Ryan has supported a number of Republicans financially since 2010, and his SuperPAC has given thousands of dollars to campaigns of members who then did not vote for him Thursday. There isn't total unity behind him, even on the right where he needs a strong consensus. His youth may also be a negative, especially when dealing with more experienced members and trying to keep both sides in check. Being Speaker requires a Congressman to use a diverse set of skills, which Ryan may not have. He has mostly spent his time and energy in financial and budget issues. Can Ryan assert himself as a leader immediately? The GOP led Congress may depend on it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/29/us/politics/house-speaker-job-requires-many-hats-paul-ryan-has-never-worn.html?ref=politics&_r=0

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/29/us/politics/republicans-paul-ryan-house-speaker.html?ref=politics&_r=1

http://atr.rollcall.com/ryan-donated-thousands-voted-speaker/?dcz=

http://blogs.rollcall.com/hill-navigator/why-a-former-staffer-could-make-a-good-speaker/?dcz=