Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) will officially know by the end of the week if the title of Speaker of the House will be in his future.
Currently dubbed the House Speaker-in-waiting, the decision to elect Ryan to one of the top positions will be voted on during a secret-ballot GOP election Wednesday, Oct. 28 and a full House vote the next day.
After years of resisted pressure to take on a more prominent role in the party, the decision for Ryan to nominate himself as a potential candidate for the position took convincing from fellow GOP members.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had his hat in the race until Oct. 8. After he pulled out, the pressure then further shifted to Ryan, the only viable option for the position.
Why is Ryan stepping up now?
The House spot opened up last month after former Speaker of the House John Boehner resigned from the position Sept. 25, which to some, was a surprising move. Thomas P. O'Neill Jr., who held the position of Speaker of the House from 1977 to 1986, was the last person who willingly left the position.
Others were not so surprised about the resignation, though. After Boehner's emotional final address to Congress, it was speculated, according to The New York Times, that past pressure to push for more spending cuts was a catalyst for his departure.
What will be Ryan's first steps as Speaker?
If successfully voted into the position by his party and the rest of Congress, Ryan has made clear to his party that he wants to act as the House GOP's "spokesman and agenda setter without the threat of revolt from the right," according to The Washington Post.
According to The Washington Post, Ryan has already tapped David Hoppe, a former adviser to Republican congressional leaders, to serve as his chief of staff if elected.
Ryan will have to get to work immediately, if elected Thursday. Congress is currently working toward raising the government's borrowing limit before the Nov. 3 deadline, a task that Ryan will be at the helm of.