House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) told his Republican colleagues on Wednesday that he would seek the speakership in 2014, during the same meeting in which ousted House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) told the Republican conference that he would resign his leadership post.
Two House GOP members recounted Boehner’s statement after the Wednesday meeting.
“Boehner said he was definitely running for speaker next year,” Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) told reporters. “He made that quite clear. That was a little bit of a surprise.”
“He’s been so closed about it up until now,” Fleming continued when asked why Boehner’s announcement was a surprise. “He’s just not made any statement one way or another. Why would he say that now? I guess maybe to clear the air.”
Rep. John Kline (R-MN) confirmed Boehner’s statement to TPM.
“He said he was absolutely all-in,” Kline said. “He’s running for speaker.”
