- The message from the 60% of Republican grassroots that lost confidence in him.
- Washington observers note Boehner is wreaking revenge
- The question becomes will Republicans fold or fight
Note these excerpts from the e-mail dispatch Washington Update, from Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, a large social conservative organization important to Republican prospects:
The Grudge Report
Somebody needs to remind John Boehner that it’s a gavel, not a hammer! Unfortunately for many of the conservatives who voted their conscience in yesterday’s leadership election, that message didn’t make it to the House Speaker. The Speaker used his first hours back in power to pummel members who didn’t support his reelection.
After the biggest challenge to a Speaker since the Civil War, conservative rebels got a taste of Boehner’s displeasure when two were knocked off key committees and another was stripped from a bill he planned to sponsor. For the 24 who stood up to the third-term Speaker, the price of principle is already swift — and severe.
Within hours of casting their ballots, Reps. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.) and Richard Nugent (R-Fla.) got the boot from the House Rules Committee, where both had served last term. Conservative Randy Weber (R-Texas), who backed fellow Texan Louie Gohmert (R) for Speaker, was informed that he’d no longer have the privilege of bringing an energy measure to the floor. “I’ve already lost the authorship of one bill,” Weber fumed. “Look it shouldn’t be that way.”
For other members, payback is almost certainly on its way. That doesn’t bother Congressman Scott Rigell (R-Va.), who insists that his was a “vote of conscience.” “Something I share with my staff all the time,” he told reporters, “is that I want to serve without fear and leave without regret.” . . .
These members’ only crime is doing exactly that: listening to the people, 60 percent of whom wanted a fresh face in the Speaker’s office. For the sake of the country, let’s hope the leaders’ antagonism is short-lived. As Congressman Gohmert said on our radio show yesterday, “It would be a shame if the Speaker of the House who has so much power is a sore winner…”
Michael Reagan’s Reagan Reports had this to say
Boehner Survives Biggest Revolt Since Civil War, Then Exacts Revenge
House Speaker John Boehner was re-elected Tuesday, but not before a splinter group of Republicans led the largest rebellion against an incumbent speaker since the Civil War, the Washington Post reports. Speaker Boehner prevailed with 216 votes – 11 more than necessary – but he lost 24 Republicans. After the vote, Politico reports, Boehner immediately took revenge, kicking two of the Republican no votes off of the powerful House Rules Committee.
Gary Bauer at Campaign for Working Families:
Will The GOP Fold Or Fight?
With Republicans now in control of Congress, we are hearing a lot of rhetoric from the media about what Republicans must do to earn the trust of the American people. Really? It is obvious to me that Obama and the Democrats have more to do in that regard. But even some Republicans are falling for this.
The meaning of the 2014 election, as Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) claimed, is that voters really want Republicans to cooperate with President Obama. If that’s the case, we’re off to a really bad start. (See next item.)
Others like Jeb Bush and defeated former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor say the party should ignore the small, but vocal minority of conservatives who just want to fight about everything. Usually that means they should fold and stop fighting on issues like Obamacare, traditional marriage, the sanctity of life and illegal immigration.
On the issue of illegal immigration, which House Republicans may address next week, there is evidence that the “small, angry crowd” might in fact be a lot bigger than the establishment chooses to admit. Consider these findings from a recent poll of registered Republicans:
- 82% of Republicans oppose President Obama’s executive amnesty for illegal immigrants. Just 14% of Republicans support it.
- 71% of Republicans want Congress to pass laws stopping Obama’s amnesty, including cutting off funding for it.
- Here’s the kicker: 84% of Republicans would be less likely to support the reelection of their representative if he or she voted to allow the use of taxpayer money to implement Obama’s amnesty.
R Mall
