Heeeeere's Johnny (Boehner)

Rep. John Boehner, an 8-termer from Ohio's 8th District, has won the House Majority Leader race by a vote of 122-109.  Majority Whip, acting leader, and presumed frontrunner Roy Blunt came in second after Rep. John Shadegg dropped out earlier today, prompting a two-man runoff.

Shadegg and undeclared candidate Jim Ryun both bowed out after the first round of balloting, which yielded Blunt 110 votes (6 shy of a majority), Boehner 79, Shadegg 40, and Ryun 2.

That means all of Shadegg's and Ryun's support (and even one Blunt supporter, interestingly) went over to Boehner in the run off, suggesting this was a "Blunt or the other guy" vote for pretty much every member, and that Shadegg's late groundswell of support may have been more anti-Blunt (or anti-incumbency anyway) than pro-Shadegg.

Get to know John Boehner (and his friends) here and here.

Congratulate the new leader here (if you live in Ohio).  He's now your highest ranking House member since Speaker Nicholas Longworth died 75 years ago.

Bloggereax:

Hotline, GOP Bloggers, Blogs for Bush, N.Z. Bear, Mary Katherine Ham, Wizbang, Ankle Biting Pundits, Right Wing News

Party Reax:

Majority Leader John Boehner
RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman
NRCC Chairman Tom Reynolds
Republican Conference Vice Chairman Jack Kingston

Previously:

Rep. Roy Blunt Conference Call
Shadegg Enters Leadership Race As Candidate For Reform and Renewal