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Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, who for years has resisted a move into House Republican leadership, said Tuesday night he would serve as House speaker if he is the party's "unity candidate." ... Ryan's move could put major pressure on the Freedom Caucus, which had endorsed Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.) before House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) dropped his bid to succeed Boehner. Members of the Republican Study Committee and Tuesday Group have already showered praise on Ryan, but members of the Freedom Caucus aren't quite ready yet to endorse him. (Sherman, Bresnahan and French, 10/20)

Ryan, a former vice presidential nominee, is considered the Republican Party's best hope for uniting its divided House majority. But he had expressed reluctance at taking the difficult job without unanimous support. ... The leadership struggle has stymied the fall agenda and is complicating the next must-pass item: legislation to raise the federal debt limit to continue paying the nation's bills and avoid a credit default. ...Ryan received a partial endorsement Tuesday from one unlikely source, Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the minority leader. ... Reid added that he's no fan of Ryan's ideology or his proposals for cutting Medicare and other safety net programs. He shrugged when asked whether his backing could doom Ryan's candidacy. (Mascaro, 10/20)

Ryan, the 45-year-old chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and a 2012 vice-presidential nominee, has for years resisted pressure to assume a higher-profile role in party leadership. And he signaled Tuesday that his decision to serve was far from final. (DeBonis and Cost, 10/20)