Boehner Says G'bye — Now What?

The Poster Child for Failed GOP Leadership

House Speaker John Boehner announced his upcoming resignation — after having served five years as one of the most ineffective speakers in history.

Boehner was elected to the House in 1990 from Ohio’s 8th congressional district, a GOP stronghold that includes suburban and rural areas between Cincinnati and Dayton. I first met him in 1993 when he was campaigning for other GOP candidates, and found him devoutly faithful and a very astute, articulate conservative.

How did Boehner devolve from a successful grassroots conservative into a futile GOP establishment hack?

There are several reasons, including a primary contributing factor to his demise that has been a “secret” in plain sight for years.

But to better understand his failure, here is a brief look at Boehner’s rise through the Republican ranks.

In 1993, he became a key promoter of the Contract with America, authored by then-House Republican Conference Chairman Dick Armey (R-TX) and then-House Minority Whip Newt Gingrich (R-GA). The CWA was based on Ronald Reagan’s legacy platform. George H.W. Bush had wasted that hard-won legacy during his one term as president before losing the White House to a younger and more charismatic candidate, Bill Clinton and his “co-president,” Hillary.

The Contract with America was key to the GOP’s historic midterm election victory in 1994, restoring GOP leadership in the House and Senate for the first time since 1952 — and Boehner was one of its most effective advocates.

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