Paul Ryan met tonight with Republican leaders about potentially accepting the nomination for Speaker of the House - a call he promises to make by the end of the week - depending on whether or not certain conditions he's set forth can be met. It is no small task, either.
Issa says Ryan will decide by the end of the week. Will run if freedom caucus, Tuesday group and Republican Study Committee all endorse
— Tarini Parti (@tparti) October 20, 2015 "He wants consensus from all of the factions: the Tues. club, the RSC, Freedom Caucus, on and on down the list." - Sanford to @daveweigel
— Robert Costa (@costareports) October 21, 2015 The AP reports it as his demand to be a "Unity" candidate, and MSNBC states unequivocally on air that Ryan will only go for Speaker if he is promised a 100% unanimous vote in his favor. Ryan believes that this is the only reasonable path to the Speakership for anyone, not just himself.
Rep. Ryan will face his toughest climb getting the Freedom Caucus behind him, an approximately 40-member caucus that claims responsibility for scuttling Kevin McCarthy's bid for the job. The caucus is the voice of the conservative right, especially the Tea Party right, and has problems with Ryan in particular over immigration. The group has many procedural changes in mind that will, according to them, give more voice and power on the floor to the conservative base of the party and their elected representatives.
However, some insiders believe that by the end of the week assurances will be made and that Ryan will, in fact, receive the support he is seeking. If that is the case, he'll be the next Speaker of the House, and in a wholly different political position than his predecessor.