The New York Times (10/30, Steinhauer, Subscription Publication) reports that Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) “was elected as the 54th speaker of the House on Thursday” after receiving 236 votes. The Times states that among those who voted for Ryan were “several of the hardline conservatives who had worked to oust” former Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), adding that the expectations they had when Boehner took the post “have been replaced with a grim recognition that Mr. Ryan’s ascent stems not from electoral victory but rather the chaos in the ranks of his party’s sizable majority.” NBC Nightly News (10/29, story 5,1:45, Holt) said that while Boehner’s exit “clears the way for a fresh start,” the “handover comes from a deep conflict” within the GOP, and the AP (10/30, Werner) says Ryan is “charged with healing Republican divides and quieting the chaos of Capitol Hill.”
Bloomberg Politics (10/29, House) says Ryan was elected “with a mandate to unite his fractious caucus – and no clear path to do it,” and notes that while Ryan “is being promoted as someone who as speaker can help resolve internal party differences,” he “has much to prove and perhaps little time to prove it.” Reporting that Ryan vowed to mend differences within the party and repair the “broken” House, Reuters (10/29, Lawder, Cornwell) quotes him as saying, “We’re not solving problems, we’re adding to them and I am not interested in laying blame. …We are not settling scores, we are wiping the slate clean.”
NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons’ commented on Ryan’s election, the BizTimes Milwaukee (10/29) reports, saying, “In politics, it is easy to spot the differences between those who are genuine and those who are in elected office for all the wrong reasons.” Timmons continued, “Nothing in the government is more important than personal integrity. We can find truly good people on both sides of the political aisle, and in my view, Speaker Ryan is one of the absolute best.”
Timmons’ full comments were issued in a National Association of Manufacturers (10/30, Drogus) press release following Ryan’s confirmation, with Timmons noting that while “manufacturers won’t always agree with Speaker Ryan on every issue, we know that we can count on him to respond to the concerns and priorities of the NAM’s more than 14,000 member companies and America’s more than 12 million manufacturing workers with a listening ear and an open mind—as he has done on many issues over the years.” Timmons also issued words to departing Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), saying that “manufacturers are grateful for Speaker Boehner’s commitment to the principles that make manufacturing strong and our country exceptional. And we look forward to Speaker Ryan advancing all of these principles—with leadership and continued friendship.”
Associated Industries of Missouri is the sole official designated partner of the National Association of Manufacturers in Missouri.
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