| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Government | |
| Cantor loses primary | |
| 2014-06-11 | |
| -- House Majority Leader Eric Cantor was defeated Tuesday by a little-known economics professor in Virginia's Republican primary, a stunning upset and major victory for the tea party. Cantor is the second-most powerful member of the U.S. House and was seen by some as a possible successor to the House speaker. His loss to Dave Brat, a political novice with little money marks a huge victory for the tea party movement, which supported Cantor just a few years ago. Brat had been a thorn in Cantor's side on the campaign, casting the congressman as a Washington insider who isn't conservative enough. Last month, a feisty crowd of Brat supporters booed Cantor in front of his family at a local party convention. His message apparently scored well with voters in the 7th District. Tiffs between the GOP's establishment and tea party factions have flared in Virginia since tea party favorite Ken Cuccinelli lost last year's gubernatorial race. Cantor supporters have met with stiff resistance in trying to wrest control of the state party away from tea party enthusiasts, including in the Cantor's home district. Brat teaches at Randolph-Macon College, a small liberal arts school north of Richmond. He raised just more than $200,000 for his campaign, according to the most recent campaign finance reports. Beltway-based groups also spent heavily in the race. The American Chemistry Council, whose members include many blue chip companies, spent more than $300,000 on TV ads promoting Cantor. It's the group's only independent expenditure so far this election year. Political arms of the American College of Radiology, the National Rifle Association and the National Association of Realtors also spent money on ads to promote Cantor. Brat offset the cash disadvantage with endorsements from conservative activists like radio host Laura Ingraham, and with help from local tea party activists angry at Cantor.
It was a change in tone for Cantor, who has repeatedly voiced support for giving citizenship to certain immigrants brought illegally to the country as children. Cantor and House GOP leaders have advocated a step-by-step approach rather than the comprehensive bill backed by the Senate. They've made no move to bring legislation to a vote and appear increasingly unlikely to act this year. Cantor, a former state legislator, was elected to Congress in 2000. He became majority leader in 2011. | |
| Posted by:Beavis |
| #39 Thank you, Barbara. Thank you very much. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2014-06-11 21:35 |
| #38 overheard: Other than a bar mitzvah, this is the first time that a Brat ruined a Cantor's day. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2014-06-11 18:30 |
| #37 We also agreed Eric would probably win Funny things begin to happen in a democracy when people who have been convinced that they are a minority find out they are really the majority. Guess that's why they call them bolsheviks. November should be fun. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2014-06-11 15:30 |
| #36 There's another lesson here - complacency. Cantor was favored by a huge margin, in the primary, so I suspect a lot of folks didn't bother to vote. Including the Dems, who didn't bother to put up a candidate, it seems. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2014-06-11 14:50 |
| #35 Brace yourself for the Brat puns. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2014-06-11 14:49 |
| #34 Now the GOP has a 2016 candidate. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2014-06-11 14:28 |
| #33 Thanks TW. It was absolutely the right thing for him to do. Now hopefully, the pubs will give up the circular firing squad and begin working together. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-06-11 14:17 |
| #32 Thanks TW. It was absolutely the right thing for him to do. Now hopefully, the pubs will give up the circular firing squad and begin working together. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-06-11 14:17 |
| #31 Besoeker, the Washington Post says Mr. Cantor will step down in July. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2014-06-11 14:12 |
| #30 The question now is whether the state GOP will sit on its hands like it did during the gubernatorial race, and letting McAuliffe win. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2014-06-11 13:29 |
| #29 "It is unfortunate, in my opinion, that Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham both managed to elude defeat in their respective primaries." Agreed, but if we can continue to knock off a handful of RINOs each election cycle then people like these will continue to retire. They are in the game for one reason. Once we change the rules they will no longer be interested - or they'll start playing by our rules. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2014-06-11 13:02 |
| #28 Brat said last night, "Money doesn't vote". Boy was he right. He attributed his win to Eric leaving his base and falling into the beltway way of life. Barbara said the sentiments of her neighbors best,"Eric, I'm sorry it came to this, but you deserted the people of our district, and our nation, just to cozy up to the Beltway Backstabbers. Illegal aliens were just the final straw." Very well done VA, Its not a tea party win, it a win for the people... |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2014-06-11 12:59 |
| #27 It was the RINO's siding with Obama during the government shut down that soured me on Eric Cantor. It is unfortunate, in my opinion, that Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham both managed to elude defeat in their respective primaries. Notice to John Boehner: It is hereby considered settled science that "consorting" with Obama, regardless of political affiliation, is toxic to political longevity. |
| Posted by: junkiron 2014-06-11 12:29 |
| #26 I cast one of those deciding votes for Brat, and talked a friend into voting for Brat on her way home from work (she hadn't intended to vote at all). You're welcome. I know Eric slightly and have supported him in the past, but in the past few years he's gone off the conservative reservation and taken up residence on the kiss-the-lobbyists'-asses-for-big-donations reservation. Eric, I'm sorry it came to this, but you deserted the people of our district, and our nation, just to cozy up to the Beltway Backstabbers. Illegal aliens were just the final straw. I was talking to another voter yesterday who stopped by the car to admire my Gadsden flag, and we agreed that we were fed up, particularly about illegal aliens. We also agreed Eric would probably win, due to his money, organization, and name recognition, but we hoped enough votes against him would put the fear of God into him. Glad to be wrong about who would win, and glad to put the fear of God (and the voters) into others of the illegal-aliens-aren't-a-big-deal persuation. On to November! |
| Posted by: Barbara 2014-06-11 12:06 |
| #25 That's an insult to Clowns everywhere Black Bart. Even us Evil ones. |
| Posted by: Pennywise the Clown 2014-06-11 12:02 |
| #24 Brat teaches at Randolph-Macon College, a small liberal arts school north of Richmond. Apparently Professor Brat teaches economics. This is going to get very interesting indeed. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2014-06-11 11:54 |
| #23 One product (Eastablishment-Socialism) two brands Donkey and Elephant |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2014-06-11 11:51 |
| #22 One Clown Down - One More to GO ! |
| Posted by: Black Bart Omereling9062 2014-06-11 11:38 |
| #21 In 2007 the Republicans had a majority in the Senate. A Republican was president and we had a working majority on the Supreme Court. What did we do? We banned light bulbs. A Republican, Fred Upton, co-sponsored the bill in the House. Obviously, these were the wrong Republicans. Cantor was one of them. Voting for the guy with an 'R' by his name means squat. We have to vote for the right Republicans. Grats to the good people of Virginia who figured that out. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2014-06-11 10:24 |
| #20 In a way, I find this whole result sad. Cantor let himself be led down the primrose path by Boehner, but apparently doesn't have whatever deal Boehner made with the devil to be able to stay in office as majority leader despite refusing to fight our Jug Eared Friend. |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2014-06-11 09:42 |
| #19 Over at pjmedia Richard Fernandez's Belmont Club, the following data bit is posted - “Cantor raised $5.44 million, while Brat raised $207,000, a huge disparity.” Cantor outspent a dark horse challenger by 25 to 1 and lost. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2014-06-11 09:00 |
| #18 Did THAT get their attention? Hope so, let's make double sure. |
| Posted by: Black Charlie Jamble8148 2014-06-11 08:40 |
| #17 That David Brat won the primary is very interesting. A few observations: 1. You don't have to throw a tremendous amount of money at a campaign (or for that matter large government) to get something done. 2. Your principles can't be build on shifting sand where they change depending upon the polls and political winds. McCain drifted way to the left on things like immigration and almost got beaten in his run for the Senate because of quicksilver principles. Democrats also got beaten on healthcare issues in 2010. 3. You don't sacrifice principle for power. 4. One needs to go back to the basics that made this country great. 5. Candidates need to get out there and work, work, and work. They need to reach the people that matter, the voters. 6. The media needs to be used in smart ways. The MSM will always support the Democrat. The MSM is the propaganda arm of the Democratic Party. The deck is always going to be stacked against anyone not Democrat. 4. Appeal to American values and interests such as Reagan did. 5. The Republican Party is never going to out-Democrat the Democratic Party. They should cease trying to look like Democrats. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2014-06-11 08:26 |
| #16 Is "Lynn Westmorland" as Oligarchical as I think? |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2014-06-11 08:25 |
| #15 Rantburg 'Out of Rino the Closet' section. Congressman Lynn Westmorland, Republican (Ga): "This is devastating. It's going to take a while for this to sink in." |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-06-11 08:24 |
| #14 Employment is just a walk down to K Street. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2014-06-11 08:19 |
| #13 Good. To those berating the GOP don't forget that Cantor was a member in good standing of the permanent beltway party. That is the slime sucking collection of most Dems and way too many pubs combined with the bureaucracy and lobbyists that has brought the country to the brink of ruin. The victory of crony-capitalism (aka fascism) graft and corruption over the last 20 years has brought us to this sorry pass. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2014-06-11 07:41 |
| #12 Just remember, the tea party is dead (resting in peace, joined the choir invisible, etc). All the jackasses on TV say so. |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2014-06-11 07:31 |
| #11 It will be interesting to see if Cantor (who in election ads referred to himself as the conservative choice) will back Brat. In the Governers race the GOP backed off Cuchanelli and handed it to terry McGoof. |
| Posted by: Airandee 2014-06-11 07:28 |
| #10 Paul Ryan - you LISTENING? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2014-06-11 07:12 |
| #9 And, It's One Two Three Strikes, YOU'RE OUT. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2014-06-11 06:59 |
| #8 The last time someone in this level of leadership in the House was taken out in his district was Foley in '94. May this loss of Cantor - who by historical standards isn't that far to the right of what Foley's politics were - is a similar indicator of how this election is going to go. |
| Posted by: no mo uro 2014-06-11 05:43 |
| #7 I agree TW. He's served since 2001. That's plenty long enough. Take some time off. Head out to Lake Gaston and do some fishing. A Republican house cleaning is long overdue. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-06-11 03:43 |
| #6 Rep. Cantor should resign from his leadership position this week and facilitate the election and appointment of a new House Majority Leader. It seems to me that's the job of the new Congress, elected in November and sworn in next January. But perhaps an immediate resignation, a temporary HML to do the job until January? It depends on how honourable Mr. Cantor is, I suppose... A pity. I used to like him before he went haring after letting the illegals flood in. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2014-06-11 03:28 |
| #5 This should come as no surprise. People are fed up with the threat to our national sovereignty. The link between what his currently taking place in Arizona and Texas with illegal women and children, and the concern of all Americans should be obvious. Millions of people have come to America using the immigration system and numbers authorizations already established and in place. USE THE EXISTING system and ENFORCE it! Adjust the numbers permitted [up or down] in as necessary. Rep. Cantor should resign from his leadership position this week and facilitate the election and appointment of a new House Majority Leader. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-06-11 03:00 |
| #4 many biz groups support amnesty as it increases labor supply and thus decreases wages many workers oppose amnesty as it increases labor supply and thus decreases wages |
| Posted by: lord garth 2014-06-11 01:28 |
| #3 I cannot figure out why trunks are pushing amnesty over legal immigration. Good riddance to another RINO. |
| Posted by: gorb 2014-06-11 01:13 |
| #2 See how Americans make me very happy sometimes? Screw the GOP. Flush it all out. I remember when I was for Cantor. Shame that. |
| Posted by: newc 2014-06-11 00:38 |
| #1 HAHA! Screw the establishment party. Also the fiasco down south with the massive influx of illegals didn't help Cantor either. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2014-06-11 00:18 |