Boehner praises Weyrich as conservative giant

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Thursday
mourned the death of conservative icon Paul Weyrich as a loss for the country.

Weyrich, a founder of the Heritage Foundation and chairman
of the Free Congress Foundation, died early Thursday morning. He was 66.

{mosads}“Paul was one of the giants of the conservative movement
— a man committed to family, faith, and preserving and expanding freedom both
here in America and around the world,” Boehner said. “His passing is a great
loss for conservatism, and for our country.”

After volunteering for Barry Goldwater’s presidential
campaign in 1964, Weyrich later worked on Capitol Hill before co-founding the
Heritage Foundation. He made a splash in the 2008 White House race when he
backed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney during the Republican primary.

“For more than four decades, Paul shaped American
politics through his leadership, his writing, his activism and his passion,”
Boehner said.

In an article published Wednesday, Weyrich commented on
the Minnesota Senate race, saying he was worried that it “in effect will be run
by the United States Senate.”

He expressed concern that, if Democrat Al Franken is not
declared the winner of the race against incumbent GOPer Norm Coleman, Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) could declare the seat vacant, which would
force another election.

Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan said
Weyrich’s “service to America has embodied and further advanced the Republican
Party’s core values of limited government, lower taxes, and individual responsibility.”

“We are saddened by the passing of Paul Weyrich, but we
know that his contributions will continue to resonate for generations,” he
added.