WASHINGTON—House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) today issued the following statement on the longest serving Republican Speaker in history, J. Dennis Hastert:

“Speaker Hastert has been a driving force behind many of our most important legislative and political victories over the years. 

“He is an honorable man and a trusted friend. He has ably led the Congress and the nation through some of our darkest days. 

“I know how much he cares about his constituents, his colleagues, and his country.

“His presence in the Speaker’s chair will be sorely missed, but I know he will keep fighting for his conservative principles as the member from the fourteenth congressional district of Illinois, and I look forward to working with him to bring back a Republican majority in two years.”

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