WASHINGTON — House Speaker John Boehner’s job is safe despite passing yet another big bill that most of his Republican colleagues oppose, as he did Tuesday to avert defunding the Department of Homeland Security.

But Boehner and his leadership team appear destined to confront fratricidal fights for months to come. The friction exposes deep GOP ideological differences as the 2016 presidential campaign gets under way.

For all the Washington chatter of a possible Republican coup against Boehner — the perpetually tanned, cigarette-smoking deal-maker from Ohio — few lawmakers gave it credence Tuesday.

“It would take Democrat cooperation to do that, which is never going to happen,” said Rep. Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina, a frequent critic of Republican leaders.

GOP Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona said he, too, opposed the bill advanced by his party’s leaders, “but I’m not mad at them.”

Boehner’s allies say rebellious conservatives realize he protects them from trouble by letting them cast politically safe votes while he taps Democrats to avert public-relations disasters. Past episodes avoided a government default and the halting of a massive “Fiscal Cliff” tax increase. On Tuesday, Boehner’s concession prevented shuttering the Homeland Security agency.

“John Boehner, honestly, in a number of cases saved the Republican conference from itself,” said GOP Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma.

Cole said he doesn’t think relying heavily on Democratic votes is a “new normal.” But he conceded the Republican-led Congress faces even tougher choices ahead, including another debt limit showdown this year, in which scores of conservatives are unlikely to help.

Most House Republicans refused to fund Homeland Security this year unless President Barack Obama’s executive actions liberalizing deportation policies were overturned. The Senate blocked the plan.

Stymied, Boehner agreed Tuesday to advance a Homeland funding bill with no immigration strings.