The 2012 Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan has given divided Republicans until tomorrow to decide whether they will unite behind him as the next speaker of the House of Representatives.
In a reversal, the nine-term Wisconsin congressman said he would "gladly serve" as speaker, replacing incumbent John Boehner, if all 247 House Republicans across three factions – moderate, conservative and hardline Freedom Caucus groups – supported him.
Reluctantly putting his name forward for a job that is second in line to the presidency, Mr Ryan (45) said he was willing to shape the Republican Party into a "proposition party", shifting away from the opposition and internal strife that has hurt the party in recent years.
“We have become the problem,” Mr Ryan said on Tuesday night after tabling his offer. “If my colleagues entrust me to be the speaker, I want us to become the solution.”
Currently chairman of the powerful House ways and means committee, Mr Ryan is refusing to engage in horse- trading with any faction, setting conditions on taking over as speaker, including that he would be given time to spend with his young family.
"This is not a job I ever wanted or sought. I'm in the job I wanted here in Congress, " he said.
In an attempt to unite the party, Mr Ryan, who was Mitt Romney’s presidential running mate four years ago, pledged to give more members a say in running the party and to communicate the party’s message more.
The politician, who is popular among moderates and many conservatives, initially distanced himself from the role of speaker this month when frontrunner Kevin McCarthy was forced out of the race by the far-right Freedom Caucus and his name surfaced.
Mr Ryan harbours presidential ambitions, which may be damaged by trying to lead a deeply split party in the House.
