The historic upset of Majority Leader Eric Cantor in Virginia’s GOP primary on Tuesday is currently dominating the political discourse. However, it’s clear that his loss was the outlier, not the norm. While many will read far too much into his loss, it did have one thing that set it […] Read more »
The New Nihilism Threatens GOP’s Growth
Before nonagenarian Rep. Ralph Hall lost his seat in a Republican primary in Texas, no incumbent had been defeated in primaries this year, leading to the dominant press and pundit narrative: The Republican Empire Strikes Back. Oops. Now with the stunning defeat of Eric Cantor, we have narrative whiplash: The […] Read more »
How the Politics of Nostalgia Sank Eric Cantor
… Like Tea Party challengers across the country, Brat sought to make immigration reform a defining issue in the campaign, accusing Cantor of supporting “amnesty” for immigrants in the country illegally, even though Cantor opposed the comprehensive, bipartisan Senate bill and only supported (but did not bring to the floor) […] Read more »
Cantor’s Fall
… Perhaps five decades from now, Cantor’s loss will be easier to explain within the context of larger events. Maybe it is indeed a harbinger of a coming “populist revolution” or a sign that the Republican Civil War is once again at full tilt. But as of right now, the […] Read more »
Voters Saw Cantor as Out of Touch, but Not Because of His Jewish Faith, Analysts Say
As the lone Jewish Republican in Congress, representing a deeply conservative, overwhelmingly Christian district in Virginia while dreaming of becoming the first Jewish speaker of the House, Representative Eric Cantor always had a delicate task. … Now Mr. Cantor’s stunning primary loss on Tuesday — to a little-known economics professor, […] Read more »
Wait, the Tea Party’s Back? Lessons from Eric Cantor’s Defeat
… Not only does Brat’s victory underscore the continued presence of the Tea Party, but it also provides a high-profile example of the Tea Party’s main strategy, what I call a “party within a party.” Further, Brat’s victory pushes us to consider who or what we mean when we speak […] Read more »