ABSTRACT
On the evening of November 2, 2010, Republicans across the nation celebrated major gains in the midterm elections, but as the votes were counted all eyes focused on one person-Ohio Representative John Boehner. Congressman Boehner became Speaker of the House, when he took the gavel from former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on January 5, 2011. In his Election Night victory speech, Boehner clearly described the message Republicans saw in the election results when he said, “Across the country right now, we’re witnessing a repudiation of Washington. A repudiation of big government and a repudiation of politicians who refuse to listen to the American people.”2 In the same speech, Boehner also sent the message to President Obama that it was his policies that were being rejected, saying, “While our new majority will serve as your voice in the people’s house, we must remember, it’s the president who sets the agenda for our government. The American people have sent an unmistakable message to him tonight, and that message is, change course.”3 In the election cycle following arguably one of the more change-oriented elections in recent history, the public seemed to be clamoring for change once again.
