Boehner endorses Romney for president Calling Mitt Romney "our nominee," House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) pledged his full support to the former Massachusetts governor's presidential campaign, saying Romney's campaign would "contrast sharply" with President Obama in the November election. As the head of the Republican National Convention, Boehner had resisted backing any of the GOP candidates, growing even more reluctant to address the issue in late January and February when chances grew that neither Romney nor any other candidate would clear the minimum hurdle to secure the nomination. "Mitt Romney is going to be our nominee," Boehner told reporters Tuesday morning, after the Republican Conference's first meeting off of a two-week spring break. Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who also remained neutral during the primary, expect to now work hand-in-hand with the Romney operation to try to drive the Republican message in the coming months. While Romney expects to run his campaign as an outsider coming to fix Washington -- seemingly at odds with the combined 50 years of congressional experience between the speaker and minority leader -- the two GOP leaders view the former governor as the best candidate against Obama, according to aides in the House and Senate. Even before Rick Santorum, Romney's toughest GOP rival, withdrew from the race last week, some congressional leaders had already begun consulting the Romney camp in Boston. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who would later endorse Romney before his home state's primary, held several conversations with Romney before Ryan unveiled his austerity budget last month, including controversial reforms of Medicare. Romney signed off on the thrust of those key proposals. "I will be proud to support Mitt Romney," Boehner said.