Let’s face it, the chances of getting Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert elected as John Boehner’s replacement for the position of Speaker of the House are pretty slim. Gohmert isn’t especially well-liked among the members of Congress, as we understand it, and his combative style scares the pants off the moderates who comprise a large number of the House GOP caucus. And while there are reports of some 60 percent of the House GOP members as wanting Boehner gone from the Speakership, particularly in light of the passage of the Cromnibus with largely Democrat votes, it’s probably hard to imagine so hard a turn as to go from a majority of the caucus supporting Boehner to a majority for Gohmert.

But Gohmert doesn’t have to get more votes than Boehner in order to beat him. All Gohmert needs is 29 votes between himself and Florida Republican Ted Yoho, who is also running for Speaker, and Boehner doesn’t get elected on the first ballot.

And after the first ballot, anything can happen.

Specifically, Gohmert could well give way to someone coming out of the shadows as Boehner’s real competition. Trey Gowdy seems to be the hero of the social media circuit, though Gowdy isn’t interested. There are others, including Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling who has also denied interest.

Whoever the ultimate replacement for Boehner might be – it might even be House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, if McCarthy was willing to essentially stab Boehner in the back – Gohmert’s mission would be to get and hold 29 votes and thus deny Boehner a majority of 218. If and when it would become clear Boehner couldn’t get to 218, the House would have to find someone among the GOP caucus who can.

That doesn’t have to be Gohmert. Gohmert can be John the Baptist, paving the way for the messiah. Of course, things didn’t turn out all that well for John the Baptist once King Herod got hold of him. And Boehner certainly makes a decent modern-day Herod; which is enough to dissuade many perhaps more electable candidates from challenging him.