Paul Ryan has been seeking the group's endorsement. | AP Photo Ryan to proceed with speaker bid He says he's prepared to move ahead despite not securing the formal endorsement of the Freedom Caucus.

Rep. Paul Ryan will proceed with plans to run for House speaker despite not securing the formal endorsement of the House Freedom Caucus.

Ryan's decision, which came after a high-stakes meeting with the group of hard-line conservatives earlier in the day, all but ensures that the Ways and Means Committee chairman will succeed John Boehner as Republican leader at the end of the month.


“I’m grateful for the support of a supermajority of the House Freedom Caucus. I look forward to hearing from the other two caucuses by the end of the week, but I believe this is a positive step toward a unified Republican team,” Ryan said in a statement.

Roughly two-thirds of Freedom Caucus members vowed to back Ryan for the top leadership job during a meeting of the group Wednesday night. Its internal rules, however, dictate that 80 percent of members are needed to issue a formal endorsement.

Ryan had said Tuesday night that he would not run for speaker without the backing of all the major caucuses in the Republican Conference. But the difference within the House Freedom Caucus between an actual endorsement and overwhelming support was not enough to deter Ryan from seeking the job.

"We tried to reach a consensus but we were not able to reach the 80 percent threshold," said Freedom Caucus board member Rep. Raúl Labrador of Idaho, referring to the threshold needed to endorse a candidate. "There is some consensus that it's time for us to move forward. We're trying to move forward in a positive way. It's an offer of support."

The prospect of a Speaker Ryan clearly splintered the group that caused Boehner constant headaches in the job and ultimately push him to resign.

Rep. Tim Huelskamp, a Republican from Kansas, said he has no intention of voting for Ryan. He said Florida Rep. Daniel Webster, the group's earlier pick for the job, has a longer record than Ryan of reforming legislators and provided a clear plan to “empower our members.” Webster was the speaker of the House in Florida.

Ryan declared that he wants the endorsements of the Freedom Caucus, the moderate Tuesday Group and the Republican Study Committee before mounting his bid. The RSC will endorse Ryan, sources in the group said, and the Tuesday Group is sure to as well.

House Freedom Caucus leaders have been leaning in Ryan’s favor since he announced Tuesday that he’d run for speaker under several conditions. Lawmakers like Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Mark Meadows of North Carolina and Marlin Stutzman of Indiana wanted the caucus to endorse Ryan, sources said, but were unsure the entire conservative group would get behind him.

“He has the votes. If the man wants to be speaker, I think he now has the votes to do it," Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) said before Ryan announced he would proceed.

Stutzman said he began whipping his fellow Freedom Caucus members throughout the day Wednesday to support Ryan, who is widely considered at the only Republican able to secure 218 votes in an election of the full House.

“Paul Ryan is completely capable and is willing to make some of the changes we need. I trust Paul Ryan,” Stutzman said.

There are still some issues the Freedom Caucus wants to hammer out. Ryan initially proposed broad changes to a procedural move called a "motion to vacate,” which essentially allows a rank-and-file member to attempt to oust the speaker. Conservatives balked when they thought Ryan wanted to do away with that rule, but Ryan later clarified he meant changing the vote threshold — a compromise Freedom Caucus sources said they’re willing make.

There will also be discussion about other changes to House rules, but the Freedom Caucus members who agreed to back Ryan did so without any formal pledges from him on reforms.

Even Labrador — who said he will vote for Ryan on the floor — cautioned that the process would be an ongoing conversation for the Freedom Caucus.

“This is not about crowning a king, this is about working together,” he said.

The Republican Conference and then the full House are scheduled to vote for speaker next week.