2016 Presidential Candidates and Conservatives Celebrate John Boehner's Resignation as a Victory
Conservatives are not holding back their delight over John Boehner's announcement that he will resign from Congress and give up his speakership position at the end of October.
The Speaker made the shocking announcement on Friday, revealing that he will end his term in the House of Representative on Oct. 30, reports Reuters.
"The first job of any Speaker is to protect this institution that we all love. It was my plan to only serve as Speaker until the end of last year, but I stayed on to provide continuity to the Republican Conference and the House. It is my view, however, that prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution. To that end, I will resign the Speakership and my seat in Congress on October 30," Boehner said in a written statement.
The announcement comes in midst of Boehner's battle with the conservative wing of the Republican Party who threatened to oust him from power if he did not support their efforts to shut down the government over Planned Parenthood.
Not only has Boehner been under extreme pressure from the right wing to defund Planned Parenthood by any means necessary, but he has also been repeatedly challenged by the Tea Party supporters since he became Speaker of the House in 2010.
Following his announcement, the Ohio lawmaker has received mixed reviews. Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland praised Boehner's decision as the "most selfless act I've ever seen in politics," reports USA Today.
However, other conservatives celebrated his resignation. Michael Needham, chief executive officer of the conservative group Heritage Action, said Boehner's decision was "a sign that the voice of the American people is breaking through in Washington. Now is the time for a principled, conservative leader to emerge."
On Saturday, 2016 Republican presidential candidate Bobby Jindal cheered Boehner's move, criticizing him for being too willing to compromise rather than fight for conservative values. He also suggested that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should step down, too.
"Here's what I say in response to Speaker Boehner stepping down: Mitch McConnell, it is now your turn," said the Louisiana governor at the Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C., according to The Huffington Post.
"If Senator McConnell is not willing to fight for our conservative principles, he needs to follow John Boehner's example," he added.
Likewise, 2016 GOP hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz also bashed Boehner and McConnell.
"I've privately urged them, 'Look, stand up and lead. I will sing your praises,'" Cruz told reporters before the summit. "I would be thrilled to appear at a press conference and talk about the brave, courageous, principled John Boehner and Mitch McConnell, if they would simply act in a way that I could say that truthfully."
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