News of U.S. House Speaker John Boehner's departure was a surprise to many, given its abruptness, and in its wake the obligatory flurry of analysis and speculation has ensued.
Congressional leaders from Florida have weighed in on the big news as well, including U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor.
All offer a different perspective.
Castor, for example, isn't looking forward to the nasty environment she thinks the House is headed for. She said she's concerned about the direction the House of Representatives will take now that it's likely someone even less willing to negotiate with Democrats might take the role, and thus the House may be more likely to see frequent stalemate.
She issued the following statement a few hours after Boehner's announcement:
“The Tea Party’s ouster of the Speaker signals that America is farther away from solutions on our most intractable problems including transportation and infrastructure investments, higher wages, immigration reform, the changing climate and its harsh impacts. Unfortunately, I see greater dysfunction in Congress and more budget impasses as the extreme right-wing gains strength in the House of Representatives.”
Nelson took a humorous tack in a one-sentence statement, according to Talking Points Media:
“After Speaker Boehner fulfilled his dream of the pope speaking, he is just plain tired of dealing with the right wing extremists," he said, playing on Boehner's emotional response during the pope's address to the House and Senate Thursday.
Florida Republicans' views also varied pretty widely.
Nelson's GOP counterpart, Senator and presidential hopeful Marco Rubio, wasn't as harsh about Boehner as some of his his Republican colleagues, but he made it pretty clear he wasn't a fan.
"I'm not here to bash anyone, but the time has come to turn the page," he said, according to the Huffington Post.
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, also a presidential contender, had a more moderate take on Twitter, though it was unintentionally a little like Nelson's:
John Boehner dedicated his life to public service. Bringing the Holy Father to Congress was a fitting cap to a great career.
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) September 25, 2015
