The Republican leadership is after U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., but the North Florida congressman is trying to use that opposition to rally conservatives in his district.
Yoho made national headlines earlier this year when he challenged U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, to lead the House. While Yoho did not garner much support, other challengers to Boehner -- namely U.S. Rep. Dan Webster, R-Fla. .-- received more votes but the speaker retained the gavel.
The House leadership pushed back at Yoho by cutting off travel funds, much like they did with U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, another outspoken conservative opponent of Boehner.
As reported last week, the leadership kept Yoho from attending the Summit of the Americas in Panama earlier this year.
Yoho insisted on Tuesday that Boehner and the leadership was targeting him.
“The establishment is looking to recruit a candidate to challenge me, our team, and ultimately what we stand for,” Yoho informed supporters on Tuesday morning. “We've worked too hard for too long to let that happen.
Despite the opposition of Boehner and the leadership, Yoho noted he would “continue to reject the status quo and put America first.”
After decades of work as a large-animal veteran in rural North Florida, Yoho burst onto the political scene in 2012 when he defeated then-U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., who served 24 years in Congress, in the Republican primary. During the 2012 primary, Boehner backed Stearns, hosting a fundraiser for him in Clay County. Yoho responded in kind when he took his seat in Congress in early 2013, voting against Boehner to lead the caucus.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
