Boehner to resign from Congress next month

Just received word that longtime House Speaker John Boehner will resign his seat in Congress in October because of Republican infighting.

The suburban Cincinnati congressman's resignation is sending shockwaves throughout American politics. Surprisingly, he isn't just leaving the Speaker post: He is leaving Congress altogether after 13 terms.

Presumably, a special election will be held to replace him in Congress, but the big question is, who will be the new Speaker? Odds are, the Republicans will pick a Tea Party favorite as Speaker - representing another step in making the GOP a fringe party.

This story is somewhat reminiscent of the resignation of Newt Gingrich. The embattled Speaker Gingrich resigned from Congress altogether after the Republicans lost seats in the 1998 midterms - setting off a scramble to replace him that embarrassed the entire party.

(Source: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/25/house-speaker-john-boehner-to-resign)