Republican Presidential Candidates Slam Speaker Boehner After Resignation News at Values Voter Summit
A number of Republican presidential candidates took swipes at Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, during their speeches at the Values Voter Summit upon hearing Friday morning's news that Boehner will resign from office.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio said it was "time to turn the page" on the era of John Boehner's tenure of Speaker of the U.S. House at the Values Voter Summit in Washington D.C. Friday, noting that politicians are more "out of touch" than ever.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who has perhaps sparred with GOP leadership on Capitol Hill the most, seemed to delight even more in the news of Boehner's resignation. Cruz credited those assembled with helping to oust the Speaker of the House.
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"You want to know how much each of you terrify Washington?," asked Cruz."Yesterday, John Boehner was speaker of the House. Y'all come to town, and somehow that changes. My own request is can you come more often?"
Cruz called on Republicans in Congress to "stand up and honor the commitments that we made to the American people."
"There's a frustration across this country," he added. "It's not complicated to understand why. Every election Republicans promise to fight for American principles, and then the day after the election we come to Washington and we don't fight for any of the principles we said we'd fight for."
Both Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum vowed prosecution of Planned Parenthood if elected to the presidency.
In a statement shared with the Christian Post, Tony Perkins called for more conservative leadership and action for the next Republican House Speaker.
"American voters who put the Republican Party into the majority have grown weary of GOP leaders running into these political battles waving a white flag," Perkins declared.
"If Republicans will not fight to end taxpayer funding for an organization that is trafficking in baby body parts, and possibly infanticide, what will they fight for?
"We welcome Republican leadership that understands that some values, like life, religious liberty and national defense are worth fighting for — no matter what," concluded Perkins.
Former Governor Mike Huckabee joked that Boehner resigned after a meeting with Pope Francis, saying the next step needs to be "orchestrating a meeting" with Pope Francis and President Obama.
Huckabee expressed disappointment with Republicans on Capitol Hill, saying that he had "wasted his time" campaigning for a Republican majority in 37 states.
"They are not doing anything differently in the majority than they did in the minority," he declared.
Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson upped the ante in the anti-congressional rhetoric, saying that it is "imperative" to "throw out of office" every member of Congress, regardless of party, who votes to increase the national debt.
GOP frontrunner Donald Trump took his own swipe at Boehner, asking the audience if anybody liked the guy personally, wryly implying Boehner is not very likeable.
While he paid little attention to Boehner in his speech, Trump told The Hill Friday that Boehner did not sufficiently fight for conservative causes. "Someone else will come in and maybe they'll have a tougher attitude," and added he does not think Boehner is a conservative.
In responding to news of Boehner's resignation Bobby Jindal said that is "one down and 434 more to go until we are done," implying the entire House of Representatives should resign.
Jindal noted that Republicans might as well "pack up the tent" if they are unable to defund Planned Parenthood.
Former Texas Governor Perry, who recently dropped out of the presidential race, declared that Obama's administration was putting religious liberty in jeopardy and called for humble leadership in the nation's capital.
The Values Voter Summit, hosted by the Family Research Council, is an annual gathering for social and religious conservatives in Washington D.C.
