In show of unity, GOP retains Ryan, leadership team

WASHINGTON—House Republicans unanimously reappointed leaders to top positions today, signaling the GOP is ready for unity.

“We’re here to fix problems and we’re excited to get to work,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., after his colleagues unanimously nominated him to keep the speaker’s gavel. “This leadership team is unified; this entire House Republican conference is unified.”

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., Republican Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Republican Policy Committee Chairman Luke Messer, R-Ind., were unanimously reelected to their positions today. The consensus among House Republicans demonstrates lawmakers have put the brakes on infighting and are ready to enter 2017 hand-in-glove under President-elect Donald Trump.

Earlier this month, as Trump slumped in the polls, talks began about replacing Ryan as speaker of the House. Ryan wavered in support for Trump throughout the election cycle and could have been a prime target for scorned Republicans had Trump lost. But with Republicans retaining control of both chambers of Congress and capturing the White House, lawmakers want to put aside their differences and work together.

Before the leadership votes today, Ryan addressed reporters for the first time since returning back to Congress with a big smile on his face.

“Welcome to the dawn of a new, unified Republican government,” Ryan said. “It feels really good to say that, actually.”

Just one year ago, Republicans were at odds after Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, stepped down from the speakership. McCarthy declined to take over, and GOP lawmakers ended up nominating Ryan to lead the House. But Republicans were not all on the same page.

Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Fla., garnered votes from 42 Republicans, some of whom feared Ryan was too similar to Boehner.

Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., was part of that 42-member protest, but today he told me Ryan earned his support.

“Right before we came back, he asked me if I was going to support him and I told Paul, ‘I have no reason not to support you,’” Yoho said. “I have confidence he will lead this conference forward.”

Others echoed Yoho’s sentiment.

“There’s no doubt that Paul Ryan and the rest of the leadership are the right folks at the right time,” said Rep. Gregg Harper, R-Miss. “President-elect Trump and Speaker Ryan are going to work well together next year.”

Several House Republicans never supported Trump’s candidacy, but now, after favorable election results, GOP lawmakers seem ready to end the divisiveness.

“Well, I think the wonderful part about victory is that magnanimity and humility are both the order of the day,” said Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz.

Franks explained he criticized his colleagues who did not support Trump before the election because he feared they were helping Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, but now that Trump has won, Republicans should stop pointing fingers at each other.

McCarthy, Scalise, McMorris Rodgers, and Messer will all automatically retain their positions to start the next Congress in January. Ryan still needs to get at least 218 votes, or a simple majority, before the whole House next year to make it official. But with Republicans unanimously nominating him today and having a majority in the House, he’s likely to hit that mark.

On the other side of the aisle, Democrats indicated they are second guessing House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The Democratic conference is scheduled to vote for its leadership positions Thursday, but announced today elections won’t occur until at least Nov. 30 because the members want more time to assess their options.