Eric Cantor’s Seat Soon-to-be Challenged by Tea Party’s Dave Brat
After the New Year, while scrolling through my Facebook posts I noticed an increase in sponsored ads on my newsfeed by Eric Cantor. One in particular caught my attention. “I’m fighting to stop Obamacare”, the ad said with Cantor’s picture and link to his Facebook page. Really?
Why the increase in sponsored ads- now?
Well, Cantor is about to be challenged for his seat by a far right leaning conservative named Dave Brat. According to National Review Online, Brat will announce his entry in the race for Cantor’s seat on January 9th. In a statement to National Review Online Brat boldly stated, “I want to be Eric Cantor’s term limit”.
I know many conservatives, libertarians and tea-party activists who are ready to see this kind of change for the Seventh District of Virginia (my very own district) and Washington. Cantor has long been the symbol of the Republican establishment that seems to flip-flop on issues and votes in the house.
Brat told National Review Online that he plans to challenge Cantor on the Affordable Care Act: “He hasn’t moved the ball down the field at all…He had two CRs at the end, one in favor of the shutdown and one opposed to the shutdown at the same time. And that’s fairly symbolic of unprincipled leadership. I mean, that’s not a leadership position, where you’re on Side A and Side B at the same time and you’ve got your finger up in the air, checking which way the wind is blowing.”
No doubt defeating Cantor will be difficult. Cantor is now in his 7th term and he’s the #2 Republican in the House. However, conservatives are looking for a change. Larry Nordvig, head of the Richmond Tea Party, remarked, “It’s a big decision to fire your congressman and replace him with somebody else but I think people are tired of hearing the rhetoric and seeing the opposite of what they’re looking for in a conservative leader.”
Perhaps Virginia- it’s out with the old and too long established Republican seat and in with the new.
What say you?
