John Boehner Is Resigning Oct. 30

(AP) — With Congress in turmoil, House Speaker John Boehner suddenly informed fellow Republicans on Friday that he would resign at the end of October, stepping aside in the face of hardline conservative opposition that threatens an institutional crisis.

The 13-term Ohio Republican shocked his GOP caucus Friday morning when he announced his decision in a closed-door session. It came one day after a high point of Boehner’s congressional career, a historic speech by Pope Francis to Congress at Boehner’s request.

“The first job of any speaker is to protect this institution that we all love,” Boehner said in a statement not long after announcing his resignation to his colleagues. “It is my view, however, that prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution. To that end, I will resign the speakership and my seat in Congress on Oct. 30.”

Although it’s not certain who will succeed Boehner, the most obvious candidate would be the No. 2 House Republican, Kevin McCarthy, a genial Californian who was first elected to Congress in 2006. Regardless of what he does, Boehner’s departure ensures a major leadership race in which tea party conservatives would be expected to field a candidate.

Boehner’s decision removes the possibility of a damaging vote to strip him of his speakership, a scenario that grew more likely amid the clamor over a possible shutdown.

As he told lawmakers Friday of his plan to resign, Boehner also announced plans to schedule a vote on a government funding bill that includes money for Planned Parenthood before next week’s deadline. It will be likely to pass with Democratic support, notwithstanding conservative complaints.

Boehner was first elected to the House in 1990 and soon established a strongly conservative record. He was part of former Speaker Newt Gingrich’s leadership team when Republicans took over the House in 1995 for the first time in four decades but was ousted from his leadership role in the wake of the GOP’s disappointing performance in the 1998 midterms.

He won a 2006 race to succeed Tom DeLay as the House’s No. 2 Republican when DeLay stepped aside as majority leader. He took over as the top Republican in the House in 2007 after Democrats retook the chamber.