Paul Ryan Elected Speaker of the House

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., was officially elected as the 54th speaker of the House on Thursday, making the 45-year-old Wisconsin congressman the youngest to ascend to the top House leadership position in 140 years.

Ryan was nominated by House Republicans for the position on Wednesday. Then, on Thursday, he received 236 votes during a full House of Representatives formality vote.

"The American people make this country work, and the House should work for them," said the newly elected Speaker in a speech on the House floor. "What a relief it would be to the American people if we finally got our act together. What a weight off their shoulders."

He also vowed to use his position to give committee chairman and rank-and-file members more leverage when it comes to legislation that is presented before the House.

Following his election, the Republican National Committee (RNC) issued a statement praising Ryan as "the right man" for the job and applauding outgoing Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, for his service.

"Paul is a devoted husband and father, as well as a loyal, long time friend, and a man committed to making our country a better place," said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus in a statement sent to Latin Post.

"Paul is a conservative who has dedicated his life to public service, and I know that he's focused toward building an America where everyone can prosper. I want to thank Speaker John Boehner for his exemplary leadership during his tenure as Speaker. His years of principled service have greatly benefited our party and our nation," he added.

Initially, Ryan was very reluctant to accept the position after Republican Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California abruptly dropped out of the race earlier in October. However, the lawmaker eventually caved into mounting pressure from Republican leaders who urged him to take on the role and use his influence to unify the fractured party.