Paul Ryan weighs pros, cons of becoming next House speaker

FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2015 file photo, Rep. Paul Ryan, R- Wis. arrives for a meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. Maybe Ryan doesn't feel like a character in the classic film "The Godfather" weighing in an offer he can't refuse. But with Republican party elders practically begging him to become the next House Speaker, the pressure on him to seek the post is immense. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2015 file photo, Rep. Paul Ryan, R- Wis. arrives for a meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. Maybe Ryan doesn't feel like a character in the classic film "The Godfather" weighing in an offer he can't refuse. But with Republican party elders practically begging him to become the next House Speaker, the pressure on him to seek the post is immense. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

By Associated Press October 13, 2015 5 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Maybe Rep. Paul Ryan doesn’t feel like a character in the classic film “The Godfather,” weighing an offer he can’t refuse. But with Republican Party elders practically begging him to become the next House speaker, the pressure on him to seek the post is immense.

Yet with the House tumbling through a chaotic period as hard-right conservatives make the chamber nearly unmanageable, there are plenty of compelling reasons to decline the job, too.

Here are pros and cons facing the Wisconsin Republican and potential future presidential hopeful:

A GRATEFUL PARTY OR A SPURNED ONE?

Facing conservative opposition, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has resigned and hopes to leave Congress by October’s end. In a second, equally startling blow, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., the favorite to succeed him, dropped his bid last week.