U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., said Wednesday that he did not have advance notice of Speaker John Boehner’s decision to step down Sept. 25 from the top House leadership role.
“I was stunned — just as surprised as everyone else,” he said during a Wednesday phone interview from Klamath Falls, a city in one of the 20 counties that made up his Second Congressional District.
“We had breakfast that week and I was with him when we visited with Pope Francis. I was standing about 10 feet away in the Republican Conference when he said, ‘By the way, there’s one other thing…’ and I thought ‘Where are you going here?’”
Walden, who is fifth in line since being tapped by Boehner, R-Ohio, in 2010 to join the House Republican leadership team, said the transition will neither promote nor demote him.
He is now a deputy whip and rallies Republicans, the majority party, to vote on key issues.
In addition, he is in his second term as chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, which focuses on election campaigns.
Walden is pleased that the committee’s efforts helped the GOP score a historic win in 2014 with the highest turnover rate in the House and Senate since 1928.
Because of that achievement, and others, he acknowledged being asked by several House members to consider taking the role being vacated by Boehner at the end of the month or whenever a replacement is chosen.
However, Walden is strongly supporting Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., to lead the GOP in the House.
“Paul is a personal friend of mine —we were both elected the same year (1999) so have known each other awhile — and I think he would do a great job,” said Walden.
“He can bridge the philosophical divide and he’s a great spokesperson.”
He said Ryan currently chairs the powerful Ways and Means Committee, which sets budget policy, and is focused on tax reform and debt reduction.
“I’ve been in communication with Paul and he has a lot of things to weigh before he makes what could be a life-changing decision,” said Walden.
“He just took over Ways and Means at the start of the year and has been enjoying his involvement in policy reforms. In addition, he has three children so he has to decide whether he can balance the demands of family life with management responsibilities that big.”
Walden is not pursuing the speaker role but said he would have to give it some thought if Ryan turns down the nomination.
“I’ve never shied away from taking on a tough job when asked,” he said.
At the moment, he defines one of the toughest jobs of GOP leaders as “setting the record straight” on reports that the Republican Party is in “chaos.” In a technological age, Walden said misinformation and rumors can circulate through social media and become established “truth” long before the facts get aired.
Walden said the media consistently paints the picture that a group of rebellious conservatives are trying to “oust” centrist Republicans.
In reality, Walden said there are 247 members of the Republican Conference and all but 30 moderates are united in conservative political beliefs, meaning that they want to stop government over-reach and keep spending in check. As a point of fact, he said Boehner was the eighth most conservative voter in the House.
What is really causing friction, said Walden, is differing strategies about how to achieve the party’s goals.
“The fight has not really been about principles or policy, but over tactics and timing,” he said.
Although newer members of the party want deeper spending cuts and more aggressive policies — many are willing to shut down the government to force budget reforms — Walden said House members with more experience know that progress is best achieved with more measured steps in a “split” government.
“The president has a lot of power and so does the Senate,” said Walden. “We’re trying to be as realistic as we can about what can get done when there is a Democrat in the White House and the senate operates under its own rules.”
Walden believes Ryan will be able to unite both factions of Republicans because he is extremely knowledgeable about budget issues and is a champion of the free market system.
According to Walden, Boehner intended to turn the top leadership role over to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., this year, only Cantor was unseated in the 2014 primary election. So, Boehner stayed on to prepare Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., for successorship.
Walden said McCarthy dropped out of the race after it became apparent that he would have trouble getting the necessary 218 votes from Republican peers who were intent on change.
The Freedom Caucus has chosen Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Fla., as its candidate for speaker. Walden said he also carries great respect for Webster and could support his rise in the ranks.
“I am spending most of my time right now concentrating on the 2016 campaigns,” he said.
Walden also chairs the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
He is the only Republican in the Oregon delegation and spent much of his childhood in Wasco County and now resides in Hood River County.
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