If you had asked me during the summer of 2012 to identify the most hated Republican in America, I would have named Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) without hesitation. After Mitt Romney selected him to be the Vice Presidential candidate, he became public enemy number one for liberals across the country. A year later, the political landscape of the GOP is almost unrecognizable. Through the trees, Ryan has somehow emerged as the closest thing to a prominent Republican moderate.
How did this happen? Last summer, Ryan was the elitist, career politician who wrote one of the most unfair budgets of our time. With the majority of the budget cuts coming on the backs of the poor, liberals would have laughed at the idea that Ryan could ever be considered a moderate. Yet between then and now, the House Republican caucus has moved further to the right than at almost any time in recent history. Ryan’s colleagues have certainly been making him look like the adult in the room over the past few months. As Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) takes the definition of obstructionism to another level, and many others sprint to the right to avoid a Tea Party primary challenge, the standard for centrism is markedly low. Anything that hints at a willingness to compromise would make Ryan seem like a modern-day Tip O’Neill.
However, Ryan’s recent openness to compromise would distinguish him even were the standard not so low. Of late, he has shown bravery and conviction in the face of constant threats from his right. Over the summer, Ryan stood firm in his support of immigration reform for 11 million undocumented immigrants. He even endorsed the notion of eventually allowing undocumented immigrants to become citizens, bringing him significantly closer to the center.
Moreover, Ryan and the GOP leadership offered the first chance at a legitimate compromise in the shutdown debate in the form of a six-week debt ceiling increase. At a time when many observers thought that we were well on our way to default, Ryan’s decision to endorse the offer demonstrated a true dedication to good policy and a willingness to deal. Now, he has been tapped to head the bicameral conference committee charged with reconciling the profound differences between the two parties’ budgets. I never thought I would say this, but I am glad Ryan is leading the Republican contingent on the committee. Despite voting against the deal that ultimately ended the impasse-a forgivable political move that protected his right flank without threatening the agreement-Ryan has shown a desire to compromise that has been absent from the right wing of the GOP.
With masterful finesse and little fanfare, Ryan has staked out conciliatory positions that have earned him points on the Left, without provoking a backlash from the Tea Party base. His newfound moderation may yield long-term benefits, putting him in a stronger position to run for higher office. Whether that means a run for President in 2016 or a future run at the Speakership remains to be seen. Regardless, it is clear that Ryan—who has worked in Washington since he graduated from college in 1992—is a man of big dreams. Moreover, the political skills he has demonstrated in recent months may put him in a position to achieve those dreams.