Some lawmakers are calling for a short timeout to have the Republican caucus sit down and take stock of what happened with Mr. Boehner, a popular leader whom a small minority of Republicans wanted to oust — but whose open opposition managed to poison the Ohio Republican’s leadership so much that he abruptly announced Friday that he’d had enough and would step down at the end of October.
That leaves a month to replace the man who led House Republicans to majorities in three straight congresses, and conservatives were hoping to prevent a rush to coronate Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, Mr. Boehner’s top lieutenant, as his successor and to make sure there is a full debate about the rest of the top leadership team as well.
“There is no immediate rush to elect a new speaker, and this provides all of us an opportunity to weigh the decision carefully,” said Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican who said he would press potential candidates to divulge how they would try to stop President Obama’s claims of unilateral powers to grant tentative amnesty from deportation to illegal immigrants and how they would strip funding for Planned Parenthood.
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