This article was first published on the Daily Signal.
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), the leading candidate to be the next House speaker, announced today, October 28, he will support the budget deal negotiated by Speaker John Boehner and President Barack Obama.
Ryan's announcement comes a day after he criticized Boehner and Obama's backroom deal-making, which led to the spending package. In addition to raising the $18.1 trillion debt limit, the Boehner-Obama plan boosts government spending by $80 billion above the caps agreed to in 2011.
"What I've heard from members over the last two weeks is a desire to wipe the slate clean, put in place a process that builds trust and start focusing on big ideas," Ryan said in a statement.
"What has been produced will go a long way toward relieving the uncertainty hanging over us, and that's why I intend to support it. It's time for us to turn the page on the last few years and get to work on a bold agenda that we can take to the American people."
Ryan will go before his fellow Republican lawmakers October 28 in a closed-door session to vote for speaker candidates. He faces Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), who will have the backing of many House Freedom Caucus members—at least today if not during Thursday's floor vote.
One of those Freedom Caucus members, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) urged both candidates to vote oppose the deal. Webster announced his opposition to it Wednesday.
"I call on all candidates running for speaker of the House to oppose this legislation and go on record showing they do not support this approach to governing," Meadows said in a statement. "Now is the time to demonstrate real leadership by committing to ending the culture of governing by crises and to no longer allow the few to make the decisions for the many."
It's unclear how many conservatives will hold Ryan accountable for supporting the Boehner-Obama deal. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) told the Daily Signal he doesn't blame Ryan for the deal and would still support him as speaker during Thursday's vote.
Rob Bluey is editor-in-chief of the Daily Signal, the news organization of the Heritage Foundation.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
