Ted Yoho continued his career as an unlikely slayer of political giants this week as the North Florida congressman played a large part in John Boehner heading to the sidelines.
Since emerging in 2012, Yoho has pulled off more than his share of upsets in his brief time in national politics. A large-animal veterinarian based in Gainesville, Yoho, a favorite of the tea party movement, stunned the political world by defeating Cliff Stearns, a 24-year incumbent, in the Republican primary.
Now Yoho has helped claim another political scalp. Yoho has been one of the leading opponents of the speaker in the GOP caucus. After beating Stearns, Yoho came to Washington and, from the get go, refused to support Boehner’s bid to lead the Republican caucus in early 2013. Earlier this year, Yoho challenged Boehner in the House leadership race. Despite falling short, Yoho continued to push the GOP leadership to be more conservative and helped rally congressional Republicans who were against Boehner.
On Friday, Yoho called for Republicans to rally behind a conservative agenda now that Boehner is out of the way.
“This is a huge win for the American people,” Yoho told Sunshine State News on Friday, saying Boehner stepping aside offered the Republican caucus a chance to “articulate a vision” for more conservative policies, including a more fiscally responsible federal government.
Despite his opposition to Boehner, Yoho said the Ohio congressman did the right thing by stepping aside.
“This is something that had to happen,” Yoho added. “I commend John Boehner for resigning.”
Yoho added that Boehner did “what’s right for the American people” by announcing his resignation as Congress wrestles with passing a continued budgetary resolution before the end of the month or there will be another federal shutdown.
Noting his own success against Stearns, Yoho pointed to other Republicans in Congress who won seats with little in the way of experience. “We’re changing politics, trying to be the voice of the American people,” Yoho said to Sunshine State News.
Yoho did not close the door to another effort to be speaker but said he was more focused on changing Washington.
“My goal was never to be speaker,” Yoho told Sunshine State News. “My goal is for better government.”
In the meantime, besides advancing his conservative principles, Yoho has helped take down another longtime congressman. For someone who has been in Congress for less than three years, the large-animal veterinarian from Gainesville has done well in leaving his mark in Washington.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
