Senator Durbin Statement on Resignation of Speaker Boehner

It now appears, however, that his announcement could make this threat less likely, as many Republican lawmakers say they will support a spending bill that does not withhold funding from the group, as some conservative have threatened.

Boehner thought of resigning as far back as a year ago, aides said, but changed his mind after his former No. 2, then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, lost in an upset primary election to David Brat, who was backed by the Tea Party movement.

“Listen, it was never about the vote, all right?”

John Canally, an economist at LPL Financial, told CNN while he is still betting against the government shutting down in a few weeks, Boehner’s announcement nevertheless “raises the odds”. “I certainly don’t want the institution to go through this”.

One of Boehner’s final acts as speaker was a powerfully personal moment.

During his press conference Friday afternoon, Boehner effectively endorsed McCarthy.

“If I wasn’t planning on leaving here soon, I can tell you I would not have done this”, he said. “I think I was”, Boehner said of the many moments that he publically wiped tears from his eyes on Thursday. Of his resignation, he said, “Frankly, I am entirely comfortable doing it” – and he broke into a brief refrain of “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” to demonstrate his point.

“Who am I to pray for the pope?”

At least three Republicans are strongly considering a bid to fill John Boehner’s congressional seat in Ohio’s eighth congressional district while Democrats search for a candidate. Marco Rubio said, “I’m not here to bash anyone, but the time has come to turn the page”.

Some reports indicate that conservatives, particularly the 40 to 50 members of the rebellious House Freedom Caucus that has made Boehner’s life so hard, could warm to McCarthy even though he remains ideologically opaque. Why?

“The commitment has been made that there will not be any way that a shutdown will occur”, said Rep. John Fleming, R-La. Somewhere on Capitol Hill, surely, Kevin McCarthy was smiling too. “If it’s somebody else, great”, Mulvaney added. But last night I started thinking about this. A majority vote of 218 is necessary to elect a speaker, so Republicans can not afford to have more than a couple of dozen dissenters.

“Due in part to the massive shift in power away from the most accountable representatives of the people to a president and five judges, we have needed leadership with vision for the future that did not continue the downhill slide”, said Gohmert.

FILE – In this September 11, 2014 file photo, House Speaker John…

January 2015: Elected to his third term as speaker over the opposition of 25 rank-and-file Republicans, the most in a century.

Cincinnati Tea Party leader Ann Becker, also of West Chester, has criticized Boehner over such issues as national debt and the federal role in education.

Boehner, with his relaxed and sociable demeanor, love of golf, and well-known tendency to cry in public, Boehner was widely popular among House Republicans.

And Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, said he hopes it doesn’t tarnish the Ohio Republican’s legacy as one of the most conservative speakers in the past 100 years.

Boehner’s work is not yet done.

Dent is no doubt recalling the plummet in Congress’ poll numbers just about every time there is a government shutdown. The Senate is scheduled to hold a procedural vote Monday on a bill to fund the government – including money for Planned Parenthood – into December.

Boehner will move a funding package that includes the Planned Parenthood funding, which is expected to be approved next week.

Speaking with reporters after the speech, Cruz warned Boehner against surrendering to Democrats before leaving Congress. That means Congress will have to extend the government’s borrowing authority or face a first-ever federal default.