Life was good for John Boehner when the tea party won him control of the House of Representatives.
This all happened in the magical year of 2010.
Republicans had to get the big salad!
This all happened in the magical year of 2010.
Some tea party overreaches in easily winnable districts kept the Republicans from gaining valuable seats in the Senate.
And therefore could not get the House legislation to the floor for a vote.
Some are even discussing a run for president for Cruz.
Facing a primary and complaints that he didn't have much ideological staying power helped McConnell's decision as well.
And it was getting harder and harder for Boehner to work with them.
This was a concession by Boehner and a big win for the tea party, displaying the power they still hold over leadership.