Speaker John Boehner to Resign from Congress

Whoa, and other expressions of stunned disbelief:

Speaker John A. Boehner will resign from Congress and give up his House seat at the end of October, according to aides in his office.

There was a lot of talk about a challenge to unseat Boehner as speaker, and widespread questions about whether he could survive that, but that he's resigning from Congress—and not at the end of this term but at the end of next month—is shocking news.

6:45 AM PT: Boehner's office issues a statement:

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Speaker Boehner believes that the first job of any Speaker is to protect this institution and, as we saw yesterday with the Holy Father, it is the one thing that unites and inspires us all.

The Speaker's plan was to serve only through the end of last year. Leader Cantor's loss in his primary changed that calculation.

The Speaker believes putting members through prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution.

He is proud of what this majority has accomplished, and his Speakership, but for the good of the Republican Conference and the institution, he will resign the Speakership and his seat in Congress, effective October 30.