Paul Ryan elected House speaker - Washingtonpost

Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) is ready to begin a “new day in the House of Representatives” after being elected speaker.

Ryan won the support of 236 House members in a vote Thursday morning, securing his election. The Wisconsin Republican on Wednesday won the nomination of the House Republican majority, who united around one of their party’s brightest stars after weeks of uncertainty about their next top leader.
[Boehner’s exit breaks up the long-running ‘Big Four’ of Congress]

Ryan began his remarks to the House following the vote with a call for unity — not only among the divided Republican conference. “Let’s pray for each other,” he said. “Republicans for Democrats, and Democrats for Republicans. … And I don’t mean pray for a conversion. Pray for a deeper understanding.”  “We are not settling scores,” he added. “We are wiping the slate clean.”

He nodded to demands of back-bench conservatives who felt marginalized by his predecessor, John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), calling for committees to take the lead in writing major legislation: “We need to return to regular order,” he said, embracing a watchword of Boehner discontents.

On Thursday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) received 184 votes for speaker and Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), the only Republican to challenge Ryan, received 9 votes.

Ryan officially became speaker after taking the oath of office, which was administered by Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), dean of the House.

“Tomorrow, we are turning the page,” he said. “We are not going to have a House that looks like it’s looked the last few years. … Our party lost its vision, and we are going to replace it with a vision.”

Ryan, who at 45 is the youngest speaker elected since 1869, struck a similar note in his first floor address as speaker Thursday, calling for greater unity between GOP wings divided over tactics and ideology.

Looking on as he spoke were his family, including his wife, Janna, and children Liza, 13, Charlie, 12, and Sam, 10. Also seated in the speaker box were former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who tapped Ryan as his running mate for his ill-fated 2012 presidential run.

Bidding farewell Thursday, Boehner, who cast the final vote for Ryan, said he leaves the House as “the same regular guy that came here.” He recited a list of his accomplishments, including major spending cuts, ending earmarks and preserving the D.C. school voucher program.  “I leave with no regrets, no burdens,” he said. - Read More 
Paul Ryan elected House speaker

Republicans nominate Paul Ryan as House speaker