Boehner picked as House minority leader

House Republicans elected Rep. John Boehner of Ohio as their minority leader and picked Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri for minority whip in the new Congress that begins in January.

Boehner currently serves as majority leader, and Blunt is the vote-counting majority whip. Their election keeps in place two seasoned leaders challenged by rivals touting their conservative credentials to colleagues reeling after last week's loss of the House to Democrats.

Republican leaders in the next Congress will "work together to earn our way into the majority in two years," Boehner told reporters after the vote. "We need to fight for a smaller, less costly, more accountable federal government."

Boehner defeated Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, chairman of the 107-member caucus of self-described conservatives called the Republican Study Committee, by a 168-27 vote. Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton of Texas, who withdrew from the race Nov. 15, got one vote. Blunt bested Rep. John Shadegg of Arizona 137 to 57.

"There simply wasn't the mood for change," said Rep. Jeff Flake of Arizona, who supported Pence and Shadegg.

Republicans are restructuring their leadership team following the loss of the House majority. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, the longest-serving Republican speaker in U.S. history, announced that he wouldn't seek to stay at the helm of his party.

Boehner, 57, sought the minority leader post by telling lawmakers that he is best-equipped to keep the party focused on its traditional issues, including cutting spending and taxes.