Paul Ryan elected House speaker

Paul Ryan in the House chamber before getting elected Speaker of the House.
(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) was officially elected the 62nd speaker of the House Thursday, clearing the requisite 218-vote majority, with 236 Republicans supporting him in a public floor vote by the full House. The election marks the end of a long saga that began with former Speaker John Boehner's unexpected resignation, which threw the GOP into turmoil and led to the party pleading for Ryan to consider running for the job.

"There's a difference between being asked to do something and being called to do something," Boehner said in his farewell address. "Paul [Ryan] is being called."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up
Explore More