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Facing the threat of an insurgency from within his own ranks, Speaker of the House John Boehner shocked the nation’s political establishment on Friday by announcing his resignation from the speakership, as well as his House seat, effective October 30.  Although obtaining the top position in the House, which is third in line for the presidency, was a remarkable accomplishment for Boehner, he had come under fire from Tea Party conservatives in recent years for not taking a harder line against President Barack Obama’s agenda.  Conservatives grew irate that Boehner proved unable to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), was willing to broker continuing resolutions with the aid of substantial numbers of Democrats, and proved unwilling to risk another government shutdown over federal funding for Planned Parenthood.  He, along with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, had become a punching bag for the Republican Party’s 2016 presidential candidates and Boehner began to feel as if he was becoming a distraction to the larger Republican agenda.  Consequently, Boehner is deciding to leave his high profile position in Washington, thereby helping Republicans avoid a bitter leadership battle that could have reduced the party’s ability to defend its congressional majorities next November.  Nevertheless, without Boehner substantial questions loom about whether his replacement will be able to form a good working relationship with the President and whether that individual will find it just as difficult to control an increasingly splintered caucus.

This topic brief will explain the likely reasons for Boehner’s decision to resign, profile the internal Republican battle to replace him, and then discuss how Boehner’s exit could affect the management of the federal government for the rest of President Obama’s tenure and the ongoing Republican presidential nominating contest.

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