Speaker Boehner in two years?

Malia Rulon reports in tomorrow's Enquirer

Greater Cincinnati could be home to the next House speaker if Republicans regain control of the U.S. House in two years, a prospect that West Chester’s John Boehner pledged on Friday to make happen.

Boehner (pronounced Bay-ner) was overwhelmingly elected to be the Republican leader in next year’s Democratic-controlled Congress during a four-hour meeting behind closed doors, beating back a challenge from fellow Greater Cincinnati Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana.

That means Boehner, who won the job on a 168 to 27 vote, will replace House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., as the No. 1 Republican in the House.

"It’s an honor to be chosen by your colleagues," Boehner said. "I pledged to them to do everything I could to bring our team together and to work hard so that we can earn our way back into the majority."

To do that, Boehner said Republicans must rededicate themselves to the "spirit of reform" and tackle the issues that Americans care about, such as cutting wasteful spending, reforming government programs that aren't sustainable, providing tax relief and strengthening national and border security.

"As Republicans we stand together united in purpose to renew our commitment to the core principles that brought us to the majority," he said. "The rebuilding begins now."
Boehner's promotion means greater clout for Ohio since Boehner is now in charge of his party in the House, from what legislation the GOP will support and what the party's message will be to how it will strategize a comeback.

It also means that Greater Cincinnati is now the geographic center of congressional GOP power since Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell was elected on Wednesday as Boehner's counterpart in the Senate.

Boehner has served as majority leader since February, a leadership post that made him the No. 2 Republican in the House, just under Hastert. But heavy GOP losses in last week’s election gave Democrats control of the House, forcing Republicans in the minority for the first time since 1994 and prompting Hastert to step aside.

Democrats elected Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California as the new House speaker.

Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada was elected as the majority leader in the Senate.

Boehner, who turned 57 on Friday, introduced the rest of his leadership team during a brief news conference on Capitol Hill on Friday, then led them all in a round of the Boehner birthday song, which goes something like: "This is your birthday song. It doesn’t last too long. Hey!"

Also elected: Reps. Roy Blunt of Missouri as the Republican party whip, Adam Putnam of Florida as conference chairman, Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan as policy committee chairman, Kay Granger of Texas as conference vice chairwoman, John Carte of Texas as conference secretary, Tom Cole of Oklahoma as National Republican Congressional Committee chairman.
At the top, Boehner and Blunt are familiar faces in GOP leadership, a sign that lawmakers preferred to stick with the old guard rather than opt or fresh faces and new voices, as Pence and Shadagg had argued was needed.

After the election, Pence said in a statement that the race was "one of the greatest honors" of his life. He pledged to work with Boehner to "steer our Republican Conference back to the principles of limited government, fiscal discipline and traditional moral values."