Social media went wild for a few hours on Monday following former Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s suggestion that a former congressman and a fellow Republican would join him at the Democratic National Convention that evening to endorse Joe Biden.
Speculation on Twitter and other outlets focused immediately on former House Speaker John Boehner, a friend of fellow Ohioan Kasich.
But Boehner, who left Congress in 2015 and is now a lobbyist, wasn’t the "mystery Republican" in Milwaukee and won’t be backing Biden or anyone else for president in 2020.
"The answer is no," a spokesman for Boehner told The Week magazine late Monday when asked if Boehner would come out for Biden. "I think he’d rather set himself on fire than get involved in the election. Nothing to see here."
The former speaker has offered varied views on President Donald Trump in recent years. Speaking at the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference in Michigan two years ago, he said: “There is no Republican Party. There’s a Trump Party. The Republican Party is taking a nap somewhere.”
In January of 2019, however, Boehner said "Donald Trump, by and large, has done the right things." He specifically cited the president's tax cut measure and his trade war with China.
Speculation on Kasich's "mystery Republican congressman for Biden" now centers on former GOP Reps. David Jolly of Florida and Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania. Both of the former lawmakers are harsh Trump critics.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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