Boehner's Fate As Speaker May Depend On Democrats

Some House Democrats say a possible replacement for House speaker could be more difficult

The fate of House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio), battling a campaign by conservatives to oust him, could be in the hands of the Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.

Democrats so far have been tight-lipped as to how they might vote on a measure aimed at cutting short Mr. Boehner’s third term as speaker, which conservatives say they could bring to the House floor at any time.

Though the timing of the effort is unclear, Mr. Boehner’s opponents appear to be taking advantage of the fact that he is currently under pressure from the right wing of his party. A group of conservatives wants to block government funding—risking a shutdown—unless money for Planned Parenthood is eliminated. Mr. Boehner needs to figure out how to keep the government open when current funding expires on Sept. 30 while still showing social conservatives he will fight for their cause.

Mrs. Pelosi and her caucus also face a tricky decision on how to approach the Boehner question. On the one hand, they worry that if they vote against a resolution to oust him, they could look like they helped the leader of the opposing party.

“I cannot say that he can count on the support of Democrats,” Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.) told reporters on Friday, adding he hadn’t decided how he would vote in such a situation. “The Republican caucus should find its leader, and we stand ready” to work with whoever that is, he added.

On the other hand, Democrats know that voting with the conservatives to topple Mr. Boehner could mean paving the way for a more conservative replacement.

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