US News

House Majority Leader Cantor loses primary

WASHINGTON — House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, a national Republican powerbroker, fell victim to a stunning upset in Tuesday’s Virginia primary.

Cantor, who had been eyed as the next speaker of the House, lost to obscure Tea Party candidate David Brat, an economics professor with just $200,000 in his war chest, compared with Cantor’s $5.4 million.

“Obviously, we came up short,” Cantor said.

At his victory party, Brat proclaimed, “This is a miracle from God that just happened.”

Tea Party activists said Cantor’s support for immigration reform was instrumental in his defeat.

Congressman Eric Cantor stands beside his wife, Diana, and delivers a concession speech on election night in Richmond, Va.AP

But there was evidence that Democratic voters casting ballots in the open primary might have a had a hand in defeating Cantor.

Turnout was up some 38 percent over last year after calls went out from prominent Democrats such as former Georgia Congressman Ben “Cooter” Jones, an ex-“Dukes of Hazzard” cast member, to vote against Cantor in the Republican race.

“It may be the only way to empower those who want to make a statement about the dysfunctional Congress and politics as usual,” he said.

After the upset win by Brat, who had been widely seen as a fringe candidate, some Democrats bragged online about securing his victory.

“In his politics, David Brat is worse than Eric Cantor,” wrote one Dem on the liberal Daily Kos website. “But I strongly believe that the future is in demonstrating to the electorate just how crazy the Teahaddists are.”