Boehner falls on his sword, but may have helped avert government shutdown

House Speaker John Boehner’s unexpected retirement announcement Friday is being considered a victory for the tea party faction that had pushed for his ouster for years, but the immediate result may be to thwart their hopes of shutting down the government next week. And for Boehner, whose most important legacy as speaker has been to keep the ship of state afloat, that may be the point. It will take Democratic votes in the House to pass a two-month stopgap spending bill, which the Senate is expected to approve Tuesday and would need to be sent to the president Wednesday to avert a shutdown. Boehner has relied on the minority party before in fights over spending bills, as a last resort, but the antigovernment conservative faction has been growing more powerful and assertive.

He is an ally. He is a friend. And he took over as Republican leader at a difficult time for his party.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

Getting House Republicans in line for both of those tasks will not be easy, and the responsibility will likely fall to Boehner’s No. 2, Kevin McCarthy of California. McCarthy has had that time now and will stand for the speakership in an election by the full House, at a date to be determined. There will likely be at least one tea party challenger, perhaps more. Regardless of how the voting for speaker and the other leadership roles plays out, the fundamental tension among Republicans remains. At this point, until the internal politics of the GOP swing decisively back in their favor, whoever takes up their mantle could be facing an uneasy — and possibly short — reign.

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