Congrats to the new Majority Leader of the US House of Representatives.
4:30PM Update
Boehner's statement (via the WMD Mailbag):
I am humbled and honored by the confidence my Republican colleagues have expressed in me with today's vote. This afternoon, House Republicans are united behind our Speaker, eager to renew our commitment to the principles that prompted Americans to put us in the majority.
"I congratulate both Roy and John on a hard-fought campaign. The three of us took what is normally the ultimate insider's process and threw it wide-open. We took the campaign outside the halls of Congress and made the race less about ourselves and more about ideas. I look forward to working with them in the days, weeks, and months ahead to rally around our united Republican vision of freedom, opportunity, fiscal and personal responsibility, and empowered citizens.
"I'm confident that down the road, we will look at the last three weeks as a turning point for House Republicans. This race provided us an important opportunity to engage in a real conversation about where we are, where we'd like to go, and what we'd like to accomplish as a majority. That conversation will not end today. In fact, it is just beginning. The problems America faces are substantial, and as a governing majority, our party must find the courage and confidence to confront them. At the same time, the opportunities our nation faces are countless, and only Republicans have the underlying trust in the American people to seize them.
"The work ahead of us will not be easy. We must act swiftly to restore the trust between Congress and the American people. We must take the necessary steps to get the federal budget under control - to cut wasteful spending, reform our entitlement programs, and craft a budget process that encourages fiscal discipline. And we must recommit ourselves to reducing the influence of government in our lives. United together, I'm confident that our party can tackle the challenges before us and continue to lead the House for years to come.
"I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that today is a bittersweet day for me. I consider myself extremely blessed to have served as chairman of the Education & the Workforce Committee these last five years. I have often told my colleagues, my constituents, and others that the five years I've spent as chairman have been the most rewarding of my career, and I will always treasure my time spent at the committee. I'm lucky to have worked with such a great staff and fantastic Members, and I look forward to continuing my work with them as Majority Leader."
I have to admit it...I wasn't real sure that my Congressman had it in him to win this thing... But he did...
