Boehner gets tough with GOP laggards

WASHINGTON, March 2 (UPI) -- U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, is cracking down on Republican members who don't meet performance benchmarks, observers say.

Boehner, who has overseen GOP losses in key House districts in the last two election cycles, is being eyed by some party members for replacement by the younger and highly ambitious Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., the Washington publication Politico reported Monday.

Facing such dissatisfaction, Boehner is reportedly getting tough, threatening to deny help to Republican House members who don't reach specific benchmarks for raising donations, assembling effective campaign operations and intelligently managing their resources. Those who fail the benchmarks won't get last-minute bailouts of cash from the National Republican Congressional Committee, Politico said.

"Boehner and (Minority Whip) Eric Cantor are on board with this 110 percent," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., who is running the program -- called "Patriot" -- for the Republican Party.