History of Paul Ryan in Timeline

Paul Ryan is an American politician prominent for his role as the 54th Speaker of the House from 2015 to 2019. A Republican, he previously served as his party's nominee for Vice President in 2012, running with Mitt Romney against incumbent President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. Ryan's career is largely defined by his leadership within the Republican party and his involvement in national political discourse.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1900: Statistical Analysis of Conservatism

According to a statistical-historical analysis, Paul Ryan is the most conservative Republican member of Congress to be picked for the vice-presidential slot since at least 1900.

1968: Grandfather founded American Party

In 1968, Reuel Little, Janna Ryan's grandfather, helped found the American Party to support George Wallace's presidential campaign. Ryan is also related to Ketanji Brown Jackson through marriage.

January 29, 1970: Paul Ryan's Birth

On January 29, 1970, Paul Davis Ryan was born in Janesville, Wisconsin.

Others born on this day/year

1992: Speechwriter for Empower America

After Kasten lost the election in 1992, Paul Ryan became a speechwriter for Empower America, a conservative advocacy group.

1992: Congressional Position as Legislative Aide

In 1992, Paul Ryan accepted a congressional position as a legislative aide in Senator Kasten's office after graduating.

1992: Graduation from Miami University

In 1992, Paul Ryan graduated from Miami University.

1995: Legislative Director for Sam Brownback

In 1995, Paul Ryan became the legislative director for U.S. Congressman Sam Brownback of Kansas.

1996: Speechwriter for Jack Kemp

In 1996, Paul Ryan worked as a speechwriter for Jack Kemp, the Republican vice presidential candidate.

1997: Marketing Consultant at Ryan Incorporated Central

In 1997, Paul Ryan returned to Wisconsin and worked as a marketing consultant for the construction company Ryan Incorporated Central.

1997: Return to Wisconsin

In 1997, Paul Ryan returned to Wisconsin to work at his family's construction company after spending five years working for Congress in Washington, D.C.

1998: Election to the House of Representatives

In 1998, Paul Ryan was first elected to the House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin's 1st congressional district, becoming the second-youngest member of the House.

July 2000: Bill Passed Renaming Post Office

In July 2000, a bill sponsored by Paul Ryan was passed, renaming a post office in Ryan's district.

December 2000: Marriage to Janna Little

In December 2000, Paul Ryan married Janna Christine Little, a tax attorney and a graduate of Wellesley College and George Washington University Law School, beginning their family life in Janesville, Wisconsin.

2000: Re-election to the House

Paul Ryan was re-elected to the House in 2000, defeating Democratic challenger Jeffrey C. Thomas.

2002: Vote for Iraq Resolution

In 2002, Paul Ryan voted for the Iraq Resolution, authorizing the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

2002: Re-election to the House

Paul Ryan was re-elected to the House in 2002, defeating Democratic challenger Jeffrey C. Thomas.

2003: Authorization of Invasion of Iraq

Paul Ryan voted for the 2002 Iraq Resolution which authorized the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

2004: Re-election to the House

Paul Ryan was re-elected to the House in 2004, defeating Democratic challenger Jeffrey C. Thomas.

2005: Ryan Credits Ayn Rand with Inspiring Him to Get Involved in Politics

In 2005, at an event celebrating Ayn Rand's 100th birthday, Paul Ryan credited Rand with inspiring him to get involved in politics.

2006: Re-election to the House

Paul Ryan was re-elected to the House in 2006, defeating Democratic challenger Jeffrey C. Thomas.

2007: Ranking Republican Member of House Budget Committee

In 2007, Paul Ryan became the ranking Republican member of the House Budget Committee.

December 2008: Bill Passed Lowering Excise Tax on Arrow Shafts

In December 2008, a bill sponsored by Paul Ryan was passed, lowering the excise tax on arrow shafts.

2008: Re-election to the House

Paul Ryan was re-elected to the House in 2008, defeating Democrat Marge Krupp.

2010: Member of Bowles-Simpson Commission

In 2010, Paul Ryan was a member of the bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (Bowles-Simpson Commission), which was tasked with developing a plan to reduce the federal deficit. He voted against the final report.

2010: Re-election to the House

In 2010, Paul Ryan was re-elected to the House, defeating Democrat John Heckenlively and Libertarian Joseph Kexel.

August 2011: Constituents Protest Ryan's Refusal to Meet

In August 2011, constituents in Kenosha and Racine protested Paul Ryan's refusal to meet with them regarding economic and employment issues.

2011: Chairman of the House Budget Committee

In 2011, Paul Ryan became chairman of the House Budget Committee after Republicans took control of the House.

April 2012: Rejection of Rand's Objectivism

In April 2012, Paul Ryan publicly rejected Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism after criticism from Georgetown University faculty, stating it "reduces human interactions down to mere contracts" and clarifying his adherence to Catholic faith and Thomas Aquinas.

July 25, 2012: Campaign Funds

On July 25, 2012, Paul Ryan had over $5.4 million in his congressional campaign account, more than any other House member.

August 1, 2012: Romney Offers VP Position to Ryan

On August 1, 2012, Mitt Romney offered Paul Ryan the position of Vice President.

August 11, 2012: Announcement as Romney's Vice Presidential Choice

On August 11, 2012, the Romney campaign announced Paul Ryan as its choice for Vice President. Ryan formally accepted the invitation on the same day.

August 2012: Sponsorship of Bills and Amendments

As of August 2012, Paul Ryan had been the primary sponsor of more than 70 bills or amendments, with only two becoming law.

August 2012: Associated Press Article on Tea Party Support

In August 2012, the Associated Press published an article stating that the Tea Party movement had gained "one of its ideological heroes" in Paul Ryan as the vice presidential nominee.

August 29, 2012: Nomination Acceptance at Republican National Convention

On August 29, 2012, Paul Ryan formally accepted his nomination at the 2012 Republican National Convention.

October 11, 2012: Vice Presidential Debate

On October 11, 2012, Paul Ryan debated his Democratic counterpart, incumbent Vice President Joe Biden, in the only vice presidential debate of the 2012 election cycle.

2012: Accusation and Apology to Military Leaders

In 2012, Paul Ryan accused the nation's top military leaders of using "smoke and mirrors" to remain under budget limits passed by Congress, later apologizing for his comments.

2012: Vice Presidential Nominee

In 2012, Paul Ryan ran as the Republican Party's vice presidential nominee alongside Mitt Romney, ultimately losing the election to President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

2012: Loss in Presidential Election

In 2012, Romney and Ryan lost the presidential election; however, Paul Ryan retained his seat in the House of Representatives.

2012: Marathon Time Controversy

In 2012, during a radio interview, Paul Ryan claimed to have run a marathon in under three hours, which he later clarified was an exaggeration, as his official time was slightly over four hours.

2014: House Re-election

In 2014, Paul Ryan was re-elected to the House, defeating Rob Zerban with 63 percent of the vote.

September 25, 2015: Boehner's Resignation Announcement

On September 25, 2015, John Boehner formally announced his intention to resign from the speakership and the House.

October 2015: Election as Speaker of the House

In October 2015, Paul Ryan was elected Speaker of the House, succeeding John Boehner.

2015: Speaker of the House

In 2015, Paul Ryan became the 54th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, a position he held until 2019.

2015: Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee

In 2015, Paul Ryan briefly chaired the House Ways and Means Committee.

May 4, 2016: Trump Becomes Presumptive Republican Nominee

After Donald Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee on May 4, 2016, Ryan was hesitant to endorse him.

August 5, 2016: Trump Endorses Ryan's Re-election

On August 5, 2016, Donald Trump endorsed Paul Ryan's re-election after pressure from fellow Republican leaders.

August 9, 2016: Ryan Wins Primary Election

On August 9, 2016, Paul Ryan overwhelmingly defeated Paul Nehlen in the primary election, taking over 84 percent of the vote.

October 2016: Disinvitation and Shift in Focus

In October 2016, following the Donald Trump Access Hollywood controversy, Paul Ryan disinvited Trump from a scheduled campaign rally and announced he would no longer defend or support Trump's presidential campaign, focusing instead on Congressional races.

2016: Call for Tax Return Release

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Paul Ryan suggested that Donald Trump should release his tax returns.

January 3, 2017: Ryan Re-elected Speaker of the House

On January 3, 2017, Paul Ryan was re-elected as the Speaker of the House at the opening of the 115th Congress, receiving 239 votes.

February 7, 2017: Ryan Announces ACA Replacement

On February 7, 2017, Paul Ryan told reporters that a replacement for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would be introduced "this year,"

May 2017: Ryan Reports Progress on Tax Reform

In May 2017, Ryan stated that Congress' goal was "calendared 2017 for tax reform" and reported that progress was being made.

June 2017: Ryan Expresses Support for Russia Sanctions

In June 2017, Ryan voiced his support for imposing strong sanctions on Russia, citing the country's interference in the 2016 elections and annexation of Crimea.

August 2, 2017: Trump Signs Russia Sanctions Bill Into Law

On August 2, 2017, President Trump reluctantly signed into law a bill imposing new sanctions on Russia, after it was passed by Congress with veto-proof majorities.

December 2017: Congress Passes Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

In December 2017, Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, a $1.5 trillion tax bill, which was then signed into law by President Trump on December 22nd.

2017: Passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

In 2017, Paul Ryan played a key role in the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

April 11, 2018: Ryan Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election

On April 11, 2018, Paul Ryan declared that he would not be running for re-election in November.

May 2018: House Passes Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act

In May 2018, Ryan led the House in passing the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, which partially repealed the Dodd-Frank Act.

2018: Decision Not to Seek Re-election

In 2018, Paul Ryan declined to run for re-election in the midterm elections, leading to Nancy Pelosi succeeding him as Speaker of the House.

2018: Passage of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act

In 2018, Paul Ryan played a key role in the passage of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, which partially repealed the Dodd–Frank Act.

2018: Discovery of Ashkenazi Jewish Ancestry

In 2018, while filming a segment for the PBS series Finding Your Roots, Paul Ryan learned that his DNA results included 3 percent Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.

March 2019: Joined Fox Corporation Board

In March 2019, Paul Ryan joined the board of directors of Fox Corporation, the owner of Fox News Channel and the Fox broadcast network, marking a new chapter in his career.

April 2019: Nominated as Delegation Leader to Taipei

In April 2019, Paul Ryan was nominated to represent President Trump as the delegation leader visiting Taipei, where he attended the 40th-anniversary ceremony of the Taiwan Relations Act with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.

August 2019: Joined SHINE Medical Technologies Board

In August 2019, Paul Ryan expanded his board memberships by joining SHINE Medical Technologies, adding to his post-political career involvements.

October 2019: Launched American Idea Foundation

In October 2019, Paul Ryan launched a non-profit organization called the American Idea Foundation, signaling his continued engagement in public policy and ideas.

2019: End of Speakership

In 2019, Paul Ryan's term as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives came to an end.

October 2020: Joined Teneo as Senior Advisor

In October 2020, Paul Ryan became a senior advisor at the public relations and advisory company Teneo, marking a move into the private sector.

February 2021: Became Partner at Solamere Capital

In February 2021, Paul Ryan became a partner in the Boston private equity investment firm Solamere Capital, further solidifying his transition to finance.

May 17, 2023: Unveiling of Official Portrait

On May 17, 2023, Paul Ryan's official portrait was unveiled at the U.S. Capitol during a ceremony in Statuary Hall, where he reflected on his journey from intern to Speaker of the House.

June 2024: Ryan States He Will Not Vote for Trump

In June 2024, Paul Ryan stated he would not vote for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, planning to write-in another candidate due to Trump's lack of "character."