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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- In an upset for the ages, Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, the second-most powerful man in the House, was dethroned Tuesday by a little-known, tea party-backed Republican primary challenger who rolled to victory on a wave of public anger over calls for looser immigration laws.

""This is a miracle from God that just happened," exulted David Brat, a political science professor as his victory became clear in the congressional district around Richmond.

Speaking to downcast supporters, Cantor conceded, "Obviously we came up short."

Brat teaches at Randolph-Macon College, a small liberal arts school north of Richmond. He raised just over $200,000 for his campaign, while Cantor spent more than $1 million in April and May alone to try to beat back his challenge.

Washington-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 in 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.

it's funny because the republicans have been trying to marginalize the teabaggers, but apparently they (and the koch brothers) have created a monster that is possibly too big to destroy now. what i want to know is how can cantor go in with a conceived 34% lead in the polls, yet lose..

Social media, right wing conservative talk host support and GOTV. Plus, as I alluded to my other thread the district party's delegates were heavily in favor of Brat and likely did a lot of the legwork needed to produce turnout.

Each time he twisted tea party arms, though, it cost him politically, raising suspicions among grassroots activists that Cantor was an impure conservative. On Tuesday night, the tea party said no.

Too early to celebrate. I heard that Cantor is considering to contest the election as a write-in candidate. Considering that the constituency is heavily Republican, he may get the Democrat support. A repetition of the 2010 Alaska senate election? For sure, Cantor has the resources and funds to do the bogus voting and vote rigging.

He blew his was already and of course the big wigs can double down if they want but this headline is too big and embarrassing to ride it to victory. Brat is going to be loaded up w/ conservative/libertarian money. If the rigging would've happened it would've happened today. Not to mention, the district party officers and delegates were pushing for Brat. Cantor had this coming for a while now. He was sacrificed at the alter of big establishment republican government. The establishment can either play tough guy here and ruin their image even more thus riling up more grassroots anger or live to fight another day.

Too early to celebrate. I heard that Cantor is considering to contest the election as a write-in candidate. Considering that the constituency is heavily Republican, he may get the Democrat support. A repetition of the 2010 Alaska senate election? For sure, Cantor has the resources and funds to do the bogus voting and vote rigging.

Having two republicans run against each other greatly increases the chances of a Democrat winning the seat.

That could be very risky.

Although GOP is expected (IMO) to gain seats in the house it is generally not good to risk any seats to the other party.

Having two republicans run against each other greatly increases the chances of a Democrat winning the seat.

you know, the funny thing is that republicans get the lower amount of votes, but end up winning more seats due to gerrymandering.

http://library.cqpress.com/elections/document.php?id=rcookltr-1527-84193-2523552

democrats aren't as organized or vicious as republicans, hence them being mocked as pussies.

GOP is able to garrymander due to control of Govonorships and state legislatures.

you know, the funny thing is that republicans get the lower amount of votes, but end up winning more seats due to gerrymandering.

http://library.cqpress.com/elections/document.php?id=rcookltr-1527-84193-2523552

democrats aren't as organized or vicious as republicans, hence them being mocked as pussies.

it would be nice if the lawmakers weren't the ones making the rules imposed on them. fucking ridiculous how they are so willing to cut everyone else's budgets but their own. many people have suggested that they be paid based on results, but they won't budge. that's like writing someone a blank check.

You obviously don't live in a heavily unionized state or are simply not paying attention.

Just another brainwashed Democrat supporter who parrots the same argument again and again. If the Republicans are accused of gerrymandering, then the Democrats are accused of vote rigging and bogus voting. The United States Senate election in Minnesota (2008) is still fresh in my mind. Even after extensive bogus voting (Democrat inner city precincts reported close to 100% polling), Franken was unable to win. Then lost ballots were discovered from various places, and the process went on until Franken's count was higher than that of Coleman.

You obviously don't live in a heavily unionized state or are simply not paying attention.

oh please. i'm talking about the politicians and the wealthy billionaires who pay them to make certain laws. labor unions do buy off politicians too, but not even close to the impact of the koch brothers, roger ailes, rupbert murdoch, and george soros. it makes sense you're from texas though.
 
unions don't have nearly enough money to bribe the politicians too.

This is clearly bad news for the Republicans.  Cantor was a major leader and had some intellectual heft (fairly or no) for them.  If he runs as a write in there is a good chance he'll split the Republican vote and allow the Democrat candidate to win.  Bad night for the Republican establishment.

Slowly but surely, more is being revealed about Eric Cantor's unknown until now (so unknown that his Wikipedia entry was only two sentences before Tuesday night) nemesis, the anti-big business, anti-Wall Street, anti establishment "Goliath-slayer" David Brat. In addition to our profile from this morning, here is the latest compilation of biographical factoids about the suddenly uber-famous tea party activist, who has written about the role of religion in economic growth. He is also a fan of the pro-capitalist novelist Ayn Rand. Here are some facts about Brat from Reuters.

^Yeah but when you got the likes of Rep Peter King the neocon freaking out about adding another Paul sympathizer into the House and beating one of their Aces, it's a great thing. Major bragging rights plus it helps similar minded other candidates running in their races and giving them a leg up against establishment candidates.

I don't think i could back a tea party candidate though, most of them sound too crazy.

They definitely don't sound crazy when they talk about big government spending, taxes, and immigration. If there is no tea party, then there will be no difference between the Democrats and the Republicans.

and apparently cantor had $5 million against his challenger's $100k to spend on the campaign.. funny how having 50x the amount he has doesn't guarantee a win.

They definitely don't sound crazy when they talk about big government spending, taxes, and immigration. If there is no tea party, then there will be no difference between the Democrats and the Republicans.

but how do you feel about the tea party candidates? what if they pull off another fiscal cliff, and are successful the next time? it would cause disaster, but maybe we need something like that to shake shit up. i don't think i could back a tea party candidate though, most of them sound too crazy.

Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) is likley to be elected as the next GOP House Majority Leader. Michele Bachmann is also a possibility, but right now it looks like she is lacking enough support.

As for Brat, when I look down his list of policy positions I personally am against almost every frickin one of them.  But as long as he means what he says and executes on it in terms of fighting crony capitalism, I'm delighted to see him in the federal govt.  Seems to me that 'tea party' folks at least as prone than anyone to get sucked in to the game.  OTOH, I know nothing about Amash positions other than that he is on the right side of the domestic spying issue and fighting the good fight.  Even if he is wrong on everything else, his activities in this one area are worth it to me.

Issues

Obamacare
Obamacare has proven to be an economically disastrous law and an unconstitutional power grab by our Federal Government. The government cannot and should not be permitted to run and regulate nearly 20% of our nation’s economy. We must restore the relationship between doctor and patient. We must restore the relationship between price and service in medicine or we will continue on the Road to Serfdom. I support a plan to defund the law and replace it with free-market solutions that lower costs, improve quality, and increase access to care.

Fiscal Responsibility
Our national debt has skyrocketed, reaching over $17 trillion dollars.  What our leaders in Washington fail to mention is the $127 Trillion dollars in unfunded liabilities (see U.S. Debt Clock). This lack of leadership on both sides of the aisle threatens our nation’s stability and long term growth and forces an undue burden on our children and grandchildren. We must balance the federal budget by reducing spending.  I will support a balanced budget amendment which will force Congress to reign in the out of control federal spending and to restore confidence in the American economy.

Immigration
When addressing the issue of immigration, we must start by securing our border.  An open border is both a national security threat and an economic threat that our country cannot ignore. I reject any proposal that grants amnesty and undermines the fundamental rule of law. Adding millions of workers to the labor market will force wages to fall and jobs to be lost. I support proposals that will secure our border, enforce our current laws, and restore an orderly and fair process to allow law abiding individuals to work towards becoming citizens of this great nation.

Term Limits
I am a strong proponent of term limits for members of Congress. Career politicians and special moneyed interests have corrupted our democratic system.  I pledge to support and submit legislation that enforces term limits. Ideally, Congressional term limits would be for 12 years total, across both The House and The Senate. Thus, I pledge to term limit myself to 12 years in Congress.

2nd Amendment
I will oppose any efforts to undermine or limit the Constitutional right to bear arms.

I am a strong supporter of gun rights. The right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental right enshrined in the constitution for a reason - it provides the people with the ultimate guarantee of sovereignty. I will oppose any back door attempts to confiscate guns or create a national gun registry. All too frequently the knee jerk reaction to tragedies by the media and chattering class is to move to restrict our rights. In Congress, I will be a steady and firm supporter of our 2nd amendment rights at all times - not just when it is convenient. Our founding documents make it clear that our inalienable rights come from God and that the job of the government is to ensure and protect those God given rights. I intend to keep it that way.

Education
As an economist and educator for eighteen years, I understand the value of a good education. This is why I oppose top down approaches by the Federal Government such as Common Core and No Child Left Behind. I will support efforts to place Virginia’s teachers, parents, and local officials, who best understand the needs of the community, in control of our education system.

National Security/Foreign Policy
Ronald Reagan said it best: “Peace through strength.” A strong military is essential to the success of our nation.  We must secure our borders, support the Armed Forces, both at home and abroad, and maintain a strong national defense in order to secure our country’s future.  In addition, I support a full investigation into the Benghazi attacks.

Federal Reserve
I support a full audit of the Federal Reserve System.

Energy
I support a broad-spectrum energy approach that relies on the free market.  The private sector must be set free to invest in natural gas, wind, solar, oil, nuclear, and other forms of energy as we move forward.  Ending our reliance on foreign oil and moving toward energy independence is vital to the future welfare of America.

10th Amendment
The federal government has grown far too large. Our Founders envisioned a nation in which the federal government’s powers were explicitly listed and limited. I fully support the Constitution and enforcing the 10th Amendment and getting the government out of the way of economic growth.  I will work to bring power back to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Individual Freedoms
The federal government’s abuse of our freedoms has spun out of control. Whether it is the NSA violating our 4th Amendment Rights by collecting phone records, the IRS violating our 1st Amendment rights by targeting conservative organizations, or President Obama violating our 5th Amendment rights with the indefinite detention of American citizens, our freedoms have been under attack and they must be restored.

Uphold Human Life
Human life is sacred, as proclaimed by our founding documents, and I will always support laws that protect life. Our fundamental rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness precede the existence of government and come from God, the Author of Nature. These core constitutional rights have been usurped by the Judicial and Executive Branches and must be returned to the people and their representatives.

Dude, here's Brat's Issues section
There's nothing there that I disagree w/. If we had more of these kinds of republicans in Congress and in the Big House, America would have a very different reputation than it does now. He'll be real tight w/ Amash on damn near every issue. I can't overstate how great of a win this was but now we gotta double down for the General election. Ya can't just be pro-freedom on one good issue to be acceptable or better for America. The message this sent was deafening and embarrassing to those that have been ripping us off for decades all the while campaigning like conservatives. I'm happy some of the people in the GOP are starting to see through this.

An honest statement doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't have an educated opinion a touchy issue lately that he's not going to get into the weeds on. Likely, he's measuring his statements on sideshow issues that the media is tossing out in hopes of demagoguing or giving the democrat a leg up on. The guy is an austrian economics professor so I can guarantee you he ain't for a min wage at all.

Assuming he gets elected in a republican district, he's already made a name for himself and he'll be straight going forward. Remember, he'll always be known as the dragon slayer.

House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R – VA) lost his primary challenge to relative unknown David Brat, who ran against him on surveillance issues. The real loser may have been the military industrial complex, who had no better friend in the Congressional leadership.

There are a lot of hawks out there, but there were few as outspokenly supportive of deficit-pumping military overspending than the outgoing majority leader, and that had a lot of fiscal conservatives hoping to challenge him for the position. Now, they won’t have to.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R – TX) is one potential new leader in the post-Cantor era, and he and others bring more interest in sequestration and keeping spending under control, something that won’t sit well with the outgoing leadership, or the lobbyists behind them.

Cantor has long been railing against the Tea Party and other advocates of spending cuts as “isolationists” for believing the US could only afford a finite number of wars.

Dude, here's Brat's Issues section

http://news.antiwar.com/2014/06/11/rep-cantors-defeat-a-blow-to-runaway-military-spending/ (http://news.antiwar.com/2014/06/11/rep-cantors-defeat-a-blow-to-runaway-military-spending/)
In case few are familiar w/ the above site, ya gotta keep tabs on it as it's the heavy weight site for real analyzing of foreign policy from a non-interventionist viewpoint.

Helpful guide for people who actually get paid to write things for a living but still haven’t the foggiest clue what went down in the 7th District this past week.

This is not the story of how Dave Brat won – this is the story of how Eric Cantor lost. Additional storylines relating to this race are not fully articulated here.

Miscellaneous preliminaries
8/20/2013 Obama Economy Claims Latest Victim: Boyd Marcus who was apparently the brains of the outfit, the remaining half of which managed Cantor’s historic defeat
9/5/2013 How Virginia Congressmen will vote on Syria Cantor out of touch, playing ball with Obama – business as usual
The Establishment Strikes Back – Slating in Virginia Beach
Escalating contention dating back years between grassroots Republicans and the party establishment came to a head in early March of this year. Establishment allies deployed a shocking and repulsive new-old tactic called “slating” to maintain their loosening control over the party. Then the fun began…

saw last night on john oliver that he was the GOP's biggest proponent of immigration reform - so basically, at least for the next 2 years, don't expect to see any improvements on that front.

it was kind of funny on his show last night. republicans don't want immigration reform because most of the latinos that come in know that the GOP isn't looking out for their interests.

saw last night on john oliver that he was the GOP's biggest proponent of immigration reform - so basically, at least for the next 2 years, don't expect to see any improvements on that front.

it was kind of funny on his show last night. republicans don't want immigration reform because most of the latinos that come in know that the GOP isn't looking out for their interests.

Many of the Latinos and Asians I know seem to have a propensity toward being on the right-wing side of the equation. 

Many of the Latinos and Asians I know seem to have a propensity toward being on the right-wing side of the equation....

I suspect that they being on the right-wing side of you, puts them on the left of all in the universe except for one.

:)

Slight overstatement perhaps.  Certainly it is more correct in a population drawn from this forum.  But I'll certainly not argue with the basic suggestion.

My sense in the above statement is that such people have some desire to prove that they are 'good Americans'.  Since right-wingers tend to make more of a show of wrapping themselves in the flag, it's natural that they would be the pole to which those who desire to 'prove themselves' would gravitate.  Also, immigrants from certain zones are more likely to be drawn from the right wing of their native country so they have the basic neural wiring for right wing thought patterns.  Just my hypothesis.

and i don't know what kind of latinos you're familiar with, but most do not support the GOP because the GOP is completely against them. maybe you know cubans?

The GOP is not against the Latinos as a race. The tea party and Libertarian segments of the GOP are against those Hispanics who have entered the US illegally. But they are not against those who have migrated legally, such as the vast majority of the Cubans.

i can't listen to you say this and not think that you are seriously living in a republican bubble. if they didn't have anything against hispanics, then i'd think the party would be much more diverse than 90% caucasian.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/160373/democrats-racially-diverse-republicans-mostly-white.aspx

oh and despite what you say, 1% of asians are republican and 2% are democrats.