Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin officially announced he is running for Speaker of the House on Thursday.
"I never thought I’d be speaker," Ryan wrote in an email to Republicans, reports The New York Times. "But I pledged to you that if I could be a unifying figure, then I would serve, I would go all in. After talking with so many of you, and hearing your words of encouragement, I believe we are ready to move forward as one, united team. And I am ready and eager to be our speaker."
Ryan is seeking to replace Rep. John Boehner who announced in September that he would be resigning and retiring from Congress.
Ryan was initially hesitant to run, but said recently that he would consider a bid if he could get the support of three crucial GOP House groups. Those groups which consist of the House Freedom Caucus, the Republican Study Committee and the 'Tuesday Group' of House GOP Moderates have now all backed him, notes CNN.
NPR also reported that while there may be others interested in the position, only Ryan seems to have enough wide-spread support to garner the 218 votes needed to become speaker.
The Republican party has come under recent scrutiny for their inability to elect a speaker. It's being seen as a sign of dysfunction in the party to many as made clear in recent polls that showed that 71 percent disapprove of the job Republicans are doing in Congress.
Ryan was Mitt Romney's running mate in 2012. He has served as the Representative for Wisconsin's 1st congressional district since 1999.