I know. :) But the person who gets the most votes, regardless of party, wins the Speaker’s chair.
That’s not correct. The Speaker is selected by absolute majority of all votes cast, not a simple majority.
The Speaker must get 218 votes and the Democrats don’t have them.
Sixteen conservatives could simply vote for another candidate and Boehner wouldn’t have the votes either. He’s playing with fire.
Abstention by those sixteen, on the other hand, could elect Pelosi.