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Sub-freezing temperatures continue in on Capitol Hill in Washington early Friday morning, Jan. 9, 2015.

J. Scott Applewhite, Associated Press

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Last week the new Congress began with the Republicans controlling both houses for the first time since 2005. Differences between the two appeared on opening day.

In the Senate, there was apparent party unity. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would look for ways to move ahead on programs and projects that had widespread public support, avoiding major confrontations, financial defaults and government shutdowns. His first legislative action will be a vote on approval of the Keystone pipeline, which enjoys polling support from 70 percent of the American people. He said his goal is to set the table for the Republican nominee in 2016, whoever that may be, by legislating in a way that will show the country that Republicans can govern responsibly. He doesnt want the idea of having them in overall charge to be scary to voters when the presidential election comes around.

In the House, party unity fell apart. John Boehner had been chosen as party leader without a single dissenting vote when House Republicans held their leadership elections, so he had every reason to assume that he would have every Republican vote in the opening session when the speaker was formally elected. However, several national tea party groups had other ideas.

Realizing that Boehner could be denied the speakership if a relatively few Republicans voted against him all of the Democrats would be voting for Nancy Pelosi these groups mounted a major blitz of emails, tweets and phone calls directed to their supporters in the House. Defeat Boehner; show the establishment whos boss!

Tea party House members who had raised no objection to Boehner during party elections changed their minds and joined in a totally futile effort to topple him. They had no candidate to replace him, no plan for running the House if he were defeated, no goal other than to show their loyalty to the groups that were bombarding them with social media pressure. They embarrassed themselves, falling far short of the number they needed. Boehner was elected easily, with every member of the Utah delegation voting for him.

Nonetheless, the groups behind the effort declared it a success. Were very pleased, one spokesman said. One suspects that the reason they are pleased is that they were able to use their advocacy of this manufactured opportunity to raise money from supporters who didnt realize that it was a fools errand, precisely the kind of action that undecided voters would find scary in 2016.

The details of this episode will of course be long forgotten before then, but Speaker Boehner and the rest of the Republicans must do everything they can to make sure that similar episodes do not occur.

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Robert Bennett: Republicans are on party probation