“He is the speaker of the United States House until he’s not”

Yet is also left even Boehner backers wondering how viable he remains. They admit these repeated confrontations, in which Boehner can’t muster 218 Republican votes for his proposals and has to turn to Democrats for help, leave him looking weak and ineffective — and thus vulnerable to a conservative challenge.

“Some of these 52 [Republican who voted no] are more worried about protecting their own careers than protecting their constituents from ISIL. They are more worried about primaries than they are about the country,” said a GOP lawmaker close to Boehner, using an acronym for the Islamic State. “This is all aimed at Boehner. They want to take Boehner out.”…

The lawmaker said he will be watching closely the three dozen or so members who voted for Boehner during the speaker election in January but who have been critical of the GOP leadership team’s tactics.

A handful of Boehner loyalists met with him Friday night and voiced concern about behind-the-scenes agitation among the most conservative faction of the conference.