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When John Boehner announced in late September his intention to resign from the Speakership, it left many in shock. Though he had faced pressure from the right within his party before, he had always held his ground until September 25th, 2015. Immediately people expected Majority Leader Peter Roskam would easily fill the spot Boehner had vacated, but they also were not properly aware of the situation among Republicans on the Hill. Conservatives had pressured Boehner to retire so that their voice could be heard, and they were going to insist their voice be heard in the selection of the next Speaker.
Though her political career dates back to her working on Ronald Reagan’s Presidential Campaign in 1980, quitting her job as a secretary at a real estate firm to enter the political world, the bad blood between Carly Fiorina and Peter Roskam - known only among the highest ranks of the GOP in Congress - dated back to 2009, when Eric Cantor passed up Fiorina for Roskam to become Republican Chief Deputy Whip in Congress. She had spent her entire career in Congress, all the way back to the “Republican Revolution” in 1994, threading the needle between conservatives and moderates within her party and had worked closely with much of the Republican leadership during her tenure in Congress, and many expected she would be the newest addition to Republican leadership on the Hill. Instead it would be Peter Roskam, and she had held an animosity towards him ever since.
To the credit of John Boehner, he had tried to relieve the tension in 2011, once the Tea Party had swept the GOP back into the majority in the House, by making Carly Fiorina the Chairwoman of the powerful House Rules Committee, which would certainly give her a good foot in the door for the leadership. In her capacity as Chairwoman of the Rules Committee, Fiorina bided her time and built strategic allies, hoping she could perhaps make a play in the future for a greater position.
Many expected 2014 might be her time, when Majority Leader Eric Cantor would be beaten out by primary challenge Dave Brat. However, rather than making a play for Majority Leader, she stood aside and allowed Roskam to ascend the ladder of power further, only facing minor opposition from the more conservative factions within the Republican Party. Meanwhile, however, she worked tirelessly behind the scenes to subvert her colleagues opinion of Roskam, and made it a point to share lunch with Boehner and other powerful Republican Congressmen as much as possible to give herself the appearance of Boehner’s preferred successor.
But even Carly Fiorina had not expected Boehner to step down in 2015. When he did, she knew her time had come. Observers expected she would not get in Roskam’s way, similar to her decision the year before, with most expecting she would make a play for Majority Leader. When she did announce her intention to seek the Speakership though, hordes of media officials stood at the ready to witness the bloodbath that was set to follow.
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What the hell is this?
Umm… A story…
Carly Fiorina has never held a seat in Congress.
This is alternate history.
What’s the POD?
I’m very glad you asked. After dropping out of law school, Carly Fiorina worked as a secretary at a Real Estate firm until some of the brokers began to see potential in her and taught her to do what they did. Here, they never do that and she stays as a secretary before quitting to join politics and Ronald Reagan’s Presidential Campaign in 1980. Not much has changed in the larger world, however, that is, until this story starts.
What did she do after campaigning for Reagan?
Worked in the California Republican Party before serving as Pete Wilson’s Lieutenant Governor from 1991 to 1995. From there, she challenged incumbent Congressman Bill Thomas and joined Congress as a part of the Republican Revolution of 1994.
Well this is starting to sound interesting. Is this the “Project Vision” that’s been advertised in your signature?
If I may share my personal opinion, I think (regardless of if she was a great or horrible CEO) that Carly Fiorina is a very smart woman. Further, she reminds me of the kind of person who could do really, really, frighteningly well in Congress. As for Project Vision, that is still in the works - slowly but surely - and may or may not come to fruition considering the time crunch involved in its creation.
So it’s a story about political intrigue?
Yes, with a focus on Congress.
Hmm… I suppose I’ll give you a chance here. Are you returning to your narrative format?
In part. There will be both narrative sections and sections more like an actual timeline.
I suppose it’s time to get started then?
I’m ready to go, for sure!
Let’s see what you’ve got, Statesman.
