Paul Ryan ran unopposed for the post. | AP Photo House GOP unanimously nominates Paul Ryan for Speaker

House Republicans on Tuesday afternoon unanimously nominated Paul Ryan for a second term as speaker. The GOP Conference gave the Wisconsin Republican voice-vote approval, forgoing a secret ballot tally that would have shown how many Republicans oppose Ryan leading the chamber.

The vote sends a strong signal of GOP unity under President-Elect Donald Trump and puts to rest speculation that Ryan’s speakership is in jeopardy. Ryan told the conference during a closed-door meeting Tuesday that he and the current leadership regime have the support of Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence, according to a source in the room.


Ryan still must win a floor vote in January to officially retain his gavel. That will require him to garner the support of a majority of the House, typically 218 Republicans — giving him little wiggle room with his conference.

Ryan ran unopposed for the post.

Although some conservatives have said they don’t like the way Ryan has run the House, or are unhappy with him for distancing himself from Trump during the election season, none of them ended up opposing his bid.

"I've got mixed emotions," said Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) of voting for Ryan after emerging from a meeting of the Republican Conference earlier Tuesday. Toward the end of the closed-door conference, Gohmert used an open mic to accuse Ryan of being soft on border security after Trump won and "insulting" the president-elect by suggesting in press conferences and on TV that Trump "heard a voice" no other politicians had.

Despite any lingering doubts, the GOP Conference is moving on. House Republicans — known for splitting into feuding factions in recent years — have indicated they would like to put those fractures behind them.

And that means Ryan is in the clear. He's benefited from Trump's apparent desire to keep him on, despite their previous chilly relationship. Ryan said he's been speaking daily with Trump since Election Day, and Republicans said their seemingly renewed relationship had strengthened Ryan's reelection bid.

Ryan also told the conference that Vice President-elect Mike Pence told him that Trump supports the entire House leadership team — a major boon for Ryan that should help tamp down any lingering opposition.

“I think that if the speaker’s good enough for Donald Trump, I think he ought to be good enough for the conference," said Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), a member of the Freedom Caucus who has previously expressed support for Ryan.

Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), a member of the Freedom Caucus, said Trump's backing of Ryan's speakership clearly helped stave off division among Republican lawmakers. He credited Trump for opting against holding a grudge. But he called the truce "tenuous."

"A month and a half is an eternity in politics," he said, referring to the start of the next Congress.

In a show of unity, GOP Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) put red and white “Make America Great Again” hats on every chair during a conference meeting Tuesday morning ahead of the vote — a nod to the president-elect. Coming out of the meeting, Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said they were shipped in overnight.

Officials from the incoming Trump administration, meanwhile, have been reaching out to Capitol Hill to get acquainted and gauge potential allies. Even Steve Bannon, the former Breitbart boss who reportedly was pushing for retribution against Ryan for the speaker's criticisms of Trump, has been telling senior Republicans that he wants to work with them, POLITICO's Playbook reported Tuesday morning. The controversial Trump adviser has reportedly been saying he’s no longer planning to be a thorn in the side of Hill Republicans, who he often criticized as soft or weak, and instead wants to work with them.

Economic adviser Stephen Moore, who authored Trump’s tax plan, also met with a group of Republican whips early Tuesday morning on Capitol Hill. The room was packed, sources said, as he discussed with them a potential tax reform and infrastructure package.

During the Tuesday morning conference, Ryan also announce a newly created position — congressional liaison to the Trump transition team. He chose Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) for the post, an early Trump supporter who is also close with Ryan. Collins, Ryan announced, would serve as the clearinghouse for legislative and staffing requests to Trump’s team from the Hill. Collins, for his part, sought to bolster Ryan by conveying Trump's support.

"Paul Ryan’s future is as bright as ever. He has no opposition today. I’m seconding Paul Ryan’s nomination today as a sign of Trump’s support of Mr. Ryan," Collins said. "This is a team effort."