U.S. Speaker John Boehner to Resign

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner will resign from Congress in October. The Ohio Republican, elected to Congress in 1990, has been speaker since January 2011.

On Thursday, during Pope Francis’ historic speech to Congress, Boehner, 65, was seen tearing up repeatedly. At Boehner’s invitation, Francis was the first pope ever to address Congress.

“What a day,” Boehner said afterward. An altar boy as a child, Boehner had asked the two preceding popes to speak to Congress. Francis was the first to say yes. Boehner had a private meeting with the pope prior to the speech.

“What a moment for our country. ... The Holy Father’s visit is surely a blessing for all of us.”

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As he left the Capitol on Thursday, Boehner joked with reporters from Politico and the Washington Post that, after bringing the pope to Congress, he had nothing left to accomplish. The next morning, his jest became a resignation.

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Rep. John Mica, a Florida Republican, quoted by the Associated Press, said Boehner told his fellow Republicans Friday morning in a closed-door meeting about his decision to leave. He “just does not want to become the issue. Some people have tried to make him the issue both in Congress and outside.”

Boehner, speaking later Friday, said he felt the fight over his leadership waged by Tea Party Republicans would damaging. He felt an obligation to protect the institution of Congress.

“It’s become clear to me that this prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable harm to the institution,” he said. “I don’t want my members to have to go through this. I certainly don’t want the institution to go through this.”

Boehner said he’s ready to leave politics.

“Frankly, I am entirely comfortable doing it,” he told reporters, then sang a little “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” for effect.

An aide to Boehner told Politico the speaker had intended to retire in 2014 but reconsidered after Eric Cantor of Virginia failed to win re-election.

“The speaker believes putting members through prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution,” the Boehner aide told Politico. “He is proud of what this majority has accomplished, and his speakership, but for the good of the Republican Conference and the institution, he will resign the speakership and his seat in Congress, effective Oct. 30.”

Politico’s report, by Jake Sherman who covers the GOP majority in Congress, surmises that the immediate impact of this announcement will be on the federal budget impasse:

Now that he doesn’t have internal political considerations to weigh, Boehner is certain to push through a government-funding bill next week that funds Planned Parenthood, and keeps the government open.

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, a Georgia Republican, told USAToday this is the “most selfless act I’ve ever seen in politics.”

Certainly, however, there will be a fight amongst Republicans now over his successor. The New York Times reports that Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, the majority leader, is the likely favorite.

Former Democratic Speaker and California Rep. Nancy Pelosi learned of Boehner’s resignation via a news alert on a staffer’s phone, the Times reports.

“God knows what’s next over there,” she said staff. “Coming from earthquake country, this is a big one.”

Sen. John McCain told reporters he believes the House GOP is in “disarray” and the Boehner’s departure from Congress will not be good for the party.

While Democrats have long been annoyed with Boehner for his seeming intransigence in negotiating with President Obama, Republican presidential candidates have been blasting Boehner on the campaign trail for not being conservative enough.

Reports the Wall St. Journal:

Those candidates are playing to a sentiment that is running strong in Republican activist ranks: Many conservatives are bitter with disappointment that, even after Republicans won control of both the House in 2010 and the Senate in 2014, party leaders are not fighting harder for conservative ideals.

Boehner, one of 12 brothers and sisters, was born in Cincinnati in November 1949. He and his wife Debbie, who live in suburban West Chester outside of Cincinnati, have two daughters, Lindsay and Tricia. He was a salesman in the packaging and plastics industry, eventually becoming president of Nucite Sales. He got his start in politics in 1982 as a township trustee. He was elected to the Ohio legislature in 1984 and to Congress in 1990.