Paul Ryan elected House speaker

As expected, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., was elected the next speaker of the House of Representatives on Thursday, a day after a closed-door meeting of Republicans made him the GOP nominee. Ryan won with 236 votes, or 28 more than he needed to win the election.

No members of Alabama's congressional delegation voted for Ryan's main Republican rival for speaker, Daniel Webster of Florida, despite Webster being endorsed from the House Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative Republicans that counts two Alabamians as members.

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, who was the most likely Alabama Republican to vote for Webster, cast his ballot for Ryan.

Nearly every Democrat voted for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., including Alabama's only Democrat, Rep. Terri Sewell of Birmingham.

The other five Republicans in the delegation voted for Ryan: Reps. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville; Bradley Byrne, R-Fairhope; Martha Roby, R-Montgomery; Mike Rogers, R-Saks; and Gary Palmer, R-Hoover.

The final tally was: Ryan, 236 votes; Pelosi, 184 votes; and Webster, 8 votes. Others receiving one vote apiece were Colin Powell and Democratic Reps. Jim Cooper of Tennessee and John Lewis of Georgia.