Boehner Starts Lining Up Support to Remain as Speaker

Wasting no time shoring up support for a re-election as House speaker, Rep. John Boehner is already calling Republican lawmakers to ask for their votes in a closed party election next week, and in January when the House selects its speaker, Politico reports.

Citing unnamed sources, Politico reports that Boehner, an Ohio Republican, is relying on allies to make the argument that no one else has the experience or clout to lead the party in the next Congress. His backers also are asking for commitments that fellow lawmakers will cast their vote for the speaker in both the closed balloting and on the House floor, Politico reports.

Boehner will announce his candidacy "in the next 24 hours," Politico reports, citing an unnamed aide to the lawmaker. It says Boehner is moving fast to waylay any competition —  though none has been publicly announced.

Texas Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling has already said he won't seek the spot, the Dallas Morning News reports.

In the closed balloting, Boehner needs only to get the support of the majority of the House Republican Conference — likely to be roughly 125 votes.

In January on the House floor, however, he'd need the support of 218 lawmakers, Politico notes.

In 2013, 12 Republicans voted against Boehner for speaker, and there's been talk of conservative lawmakers plotting to prevent the speaker from claiming a third term.

But Boehner has been optimistic, boasting that there would be "very few" votes against him in his quest for another term at the helm.

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