- 08/02/10 09:36 AM ET
House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said on Monday that he would support John Boehner (Ohio) as House Speaker if Republicans were to win back the majority in this fall's elections.
"I support John Boehner for Speaker," Cantor, the second-ranking House Republican leader, said during an appearance on MSNBC. Boehner is the Republican leader and it is expected he would become Speaker if Republicans win back the House.
Cantor's vow of support comes as some tensions between the two Republican leaders have crept into the media in recent weeks, with reports centering around Cantor's personal ambition within GOP ranks and whether that poses a test to Boehner's leadership.
Boehner serves in the top House GOP job at the behest of the House Republican Conference, which elects new leaders at the beginning of each Congress. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the ranking member of the House Budget Committee, had flirted with challenging Boehner at the beginning of 2009 after the GOP received its second straight electoral drubbing.
But the stronger performance expected of Republicans in this November's contests appears to have added to support for Boehner.
It's not clear, however, whether a strong performance that leaves Republicans short of a majority in the House would spur a challenger to Boehner.
Chief Deputy Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) suggested over the weekend that Boehner would easily win the Speakership if Republicans take back the House.
Boehner would become Speaker under a new GOP majority, McCarthy said on C-SPAN's "Newsmakers," while Cantor would become House majority leader.
"I support John Boehner for Speaker," Cantor, the second-ranking House Republican leader, said during an appearance on MSNBC. Boehner is the Republican leader and it is expected he would become Speaker if Republicans win back the House.
Cantor's vow of support comes as some tensions between the two Republican leaders have crept into the media in recent weeks, with reports centering around Cantor's personal ambition within GOP ranks and whether that poses a test to Boehner's leadership.
Boehner serves in the top House GOP job at the behest of the House Republican Conference, which elects new leaders at the beginning of each Congress. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the ranking member of the House Budget Committee, had flirted with challenging Boehner at the beginning of 2009 after the GOP received its second straight electoral drubbing.
But the stronger performance expected of Republicans in this November's contests appears to have added to support for Boehner.
It's not clear, however, whether a strong performance that leaves Republicans short of a majority in the House would spur a challenger to Boehner.
Chief Deputy Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) suggested over the weekend that Boehner would easily win the Speakership if Republicans take back the House.
Boehner would become Speaker under a new GOP majority, McCarthy said on C-SPAN's "Newsmakers," while Cantor would become House majority leader.
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