Over the past several days many Nevadans have contacted me about my vote for Speaker of the House, so I wanted to fully explain my decision to support John Boehner. My reasoning was threefold: the process; the alternatives; and John Boehner. First, the process. Many do not realize this but the House Republican Conference - including newly-elected Members - selected John Boehner as the Conference choice for Speaker back in November. At that time, anyone could have stepped forward to run against Speaker Boehner and called for a ballot then -- none did. That was the proper time for an honest and credible challenge for the Speakership - not 3 days (or, in some cases, just hours) before the January 6 vote. This attempt to change House leadership was driven by those looking for personal gain, was poorly planned, poorly executed, and destined to fail. Next, the alternatives. Many people encouraged me to support Louie Gohmert of Texas or Ted Yoho of Florida. These men are fine Members who I am sure represent their districts well. But they were never going to be, nor were they serious about being, Speaker of the House. They proved that when they failed to step forward previously, and in the number of votes they each received during the roll call vote (Gohmert 3, Yoho 2). In my opinion there was no conservative running that could beat John Boehner, lead our Conference and the House at-large, or enact solutions to the major problems we face as a country. Finally, a word on Speaker Boehner. Speaker of the House is an extremely difficult job. The Speaker must put his or her own personal policy agenda aside to effectively lead the House. It takes a selfless leader truly committed to doing what is best not just for the Republican party, but for the country. John Boehner has proved that time and time again. He served as a Committee chairman and as a member of leadership in both the minority and majority. He is the best person for the job because he knows how to pick his legislative battles and when to keep his powder dry and fight another day. As someone who has 23 years of military service, I know the importance of fighting on ground of your choosing. Though I have voted opposite his position on a number of occasions, I absolutely believe his interest is in moving the country forward, not in his own popularity, which is in stark contrast to some of his loudest critics. I understand and share your frustration with Washington politics. But with Republicans now controlling the U.S. Senate we finally have a real opportunity to show the American people how we can govern responsibly, demonstrate effective leadership, and provide meaningful, conservative solutions to the challenges we face. John Boehner is and remains the best man to guide the House through this critical time. That is why I, along with many of the most conservative members of Congress, voted for him.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 01:03:14 +0000
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