lawyerlee
02-02-2006, 06:31 PM
Rep. Boehner Elected House Majority Leader (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/gop_race&printer=1;_ylt=Ah8_P5hJIJ6gy3tB2Tli3u.MwfIE;_ylu=X 3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-)
By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent 16 minutes ago
Rep. John Boehner of Ohio won election Thursday as House majority leader, promising a steady hand and a helping of reform for Republicans staggered by election-year scandal.
Boehner, who replaces indicted Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas, said the GOP "must act swiftly to restore the trust between Congress and the American people."
He defeated Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri on a vote of 122-109 by House Republicans after trailing his rival on an inconclusive first round.
"Life goes on," shrugged Blunt, who has long had close ties to DeLay and had been the acknowledged front-runner in a race to replace him. Blunt retains his post as GOP whip, third-ranking in the leadership behind Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois and Boehner.
"People were ready for more reform than he (Blunt) was offering," said Rep. Jeff Flake (news, bio, voting record) of Arizona, who supported a third contender, John Shadegg of Arizona, on the first ballot.
Flake added that Rep. Bill Thomas of California, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, told fellow Republicans before the vote that Boehner was "a bridge to the old Revolution days," when the GOP stood for political change.
By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent 16 minutes ago
Rep. John Boehner of Ohio won election Thursday as House majority leader, promising a steady hand and a helping of reform for Republicans staggered by election-year scandal.
Boehner, who replaces indicted Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas, said the GOP "must act swiftly to restore the trust between Congress and the American people."
He defeated Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri on a vote of 122-109 by House Republicans after trailing his rival on an inconclusive first round.
"Life goes on," shrugged Blunt, who has long had close ties to DeLay and had been the acknowledged front-runner in a race to replace him. Blunt retains his post as GOP whip, third-ranking in the leadership behind Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois and Boehner.
"People were ready for more reform than he (Blunt) was offering," said Rep. Jeff Flake (news, bio, voting record) of Arizona, who supported a third contender, John Shadegg of Arizona, on the first ballot.
Flake added that Rep. Bill Thomas of California, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, told fellow Republicans before the vote that Boehner was "a bridge to the old Revolution days," when the GOP stood for political change.