Rep. Paul Ryan formally declared his candidacy for speaker of the U.S. House Thursday evening, pledging in a letter to GOP colleagues, "We have an opportunity to turn the page."
Ryan will face elections next week in a closed-door House GOP meeting on Wednesday and then on the House floor Thursday.
His success is assured.
Awaiting him will be a mess of trouble: a Nov. 3 deadline to raise the federal borrowing limit or face unprecedented default, and a Dec. 11 deadline to act on must-pass spending legislation or court a government shutdown.
Despite initial reluctance, Ryan told colleagues he was excited for the opportunity at hand.
Ryan's announcement offers the fratricidal House GOP a chance to chart a new course after years of chaos, and may allow Republicans to refocus away from fighting each other and onto the race for the White House.
It was immediately welcomed fellow Republicans.