With 'much at stake,' Boehner launches 2012 political operation

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) formally announced a consolidated political operation on Monday meant to preserve the GOP majority in the House.

Boehner announced the formation of "Team Boehner," an organization that's being described as a "collaborative effort" between his Freedom Project PAC and his reelection arm, Friends of John Boehner.

"With the White House and Senate in play and our new House majority to defend, there is much at stake in 2012," Boehner said in a statement. "Team Boehner’s goal is to make sure that American families and small businesses understand that Republicans are listening to their priorities and concerns, and fighting on their behalf."

"Team Boehner is dedicated to helping Republican candidates share their vision for a smaller, more accountable and less costly government," he added.

The effort is ostensibly meant to protect the victories of the 2010 campaign, which delivered control of the House to the GOP, and build on it for the 2012 campaign. It also represents a more concentrated political role by Boehner that goes hand-in-hand with his new, high-profile role as Speaker, in which he serves as the highest-ranking Republican in the federal government.

Republicans will have to act aggressively if they want to keep their majority for a second term. Democrats have actively begun their efforts to win the 25 seats needed to retake the chamber. On Monday, they announced a first wave of radio ads intended to target 19 GOP lawmakers — most of them freshmen.

Boehner also announced that he has tapped several Ohio-based strategists to lead Team Boehner. Tom Whatman, the former executive director of the Ohio Republican Party, will serve as executive director of political operations, per a release. Several other veterans of the Ohio GOP, Boehner's office and the National Republican Congressional Committee also signed on to the effort.

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