US House leader stuns Congress, announces resignation

The leader of the US House of Representatives, Speaker John Boehner, stunned Republicans today, saying he would resign at the end of October, stepping aside from one of the most powerful jobs in Washington in the face of hardline conservative opposition that threatens an institutional crisis.

Boehner, second in line to succeed the president and into his 13th two-year term <g data-gr-id="14">announced announced</g> his decision in a closed-door session of the Republican caucus. It came one day after a high point of Boehner’s congressional career, a historic speech by Pope Francis to Congress at Boehner’s request.

A constant focus of conservatives’ complaints, Boehner was facing the threat of a floor vote on whether he could stay on as speaker, a formal challenge that hasn’t happened in over 100 years. 

That was being pushed by tea partyers convinced Boehner wasn’t fighting hard enough to strip women <g data-gr-id="15">healtyh</g> care provider Planned Parenthood of government funds, even though doing so risked a government shutdown next week. Although it’s not certain who will succeed Boehner, the most obvious candidate is the No. 2 House Republican, Kevin McCarthy, a genial Californian who was first elected to Congress in 2006.