Steve Stockman, an incoming congressman from Texas, said Wednesday he will vote against re-electing Speaker John A. Boehner to lead the House, saying the chamber’s top Republican has “signed out country on to a fiscal suicide pact.”
“We cannot tolerate betrayal of conservative principle and economic reality,” Mr. Stockman said in a statement saying he objected not only to Mr. Boehner’s backing of the “fiscal cliff” deal, but also his move to boot conservatives out of their committee posts late last year.
The Texan compared Mr. Boehner unfavorably to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who Mr. Stockman said “at least had the decency to directly tell you they were punishing you for voicing conservative principles.”
“Each time our nation’s fiscal policies have been up for debate, Congressman Boehner has told Americans they’ll get spending cuts ‘next time,’” Mr. Stockman said in a statement repeatedly referring to Mr. Boehner as “congressman” rather than “speaker.”
Mr. Stockman didn’t say who he would vote for.
