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| Republican rebels mount swift power grab after shock defeat of Eric Cantor | Republican rebels mount swift power grab after shock defeat of Eric Cantor |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Republican party was struggling to make sense of the stunning defeat of leading Washington powerbroker Eric Cantor on Wednesday as rebels within the party claimed their candidate's victory symbolised broader popular rejection of the US political establishment. | The Republican party was struggling to make sense of the stunning defeat of leading Washington powerbroker Eric Cantor on Wednesday as rebels within the party claimed their candidate's victory symbolised broader popular rejection of the US political establishment. |
| David Brat, an economics professor at a local college, triumphed over Cantor, the majority leader in the House of Representatives, in a primary election for the Republican nomination in Virginia's seventh congressional district. | David Brat, an economics professor at a local college, triumphed over Cantor, the majority leader in the House of Representatives, in a primary election for the Republican nomination in Virginia's seventh congressional district. |
| His victory throws the House Republican leadership into disarray, and calls into question the prospect of immigration reform legislation and the ability of the House to raise the debt ceiling and prevent government shutdowns, such as the one precipitated at the end of 2013. | His victory throws the House Republican leadership into disarray, and calls into question the prospect of immigration reform legislation and the ability of the House to raise the debt ceiling and prevent government shutdowns, such as the one precipitated at the end of 2013. |
| In the House, Republicans on the right wing immediately sought to cement their surprise defeat of Cantor by mounting a swift power grab in the upper ranks of the party. | In the House, Republicans on the right wing immediately sought to cement their surprise defeat of Cantor by mounting a swift power grab in the upper ranks of the party. |
| Cantor, holed up in his office, reportedly decided to step down as majority leader – the second most senior Republican position in the House – by the end of July. | Cantor, holed up in his office, reportedly decided to step down as majority leader – the second most senior Republican position in the House – by the end of July. |
| The current chief whip Kevin McCarthy, the third-ranking Republican in the House, is expected to run to replace Cantor. But Republican sources said that Texan rightwinger Pete Sessions had already made it clear he is considering a rival bid. | The current chief whip Kevin McCarthy, the third-ranking Republican in the House, is expected to run to replace Cantor. But Republican sources said that Texan rightwinger Pete Sessions had already made it clear he is considering a rival bid. |
| If McCarthy vacates his chief whip role to run for majority leader, that will open up another powerful position in the party's leadership. Another member from the right of the GOP, Steve Scalise, is eyeing the chief whip role, according to the same Republican sources. | If McCarthy vacates his chief whip role to run for majority leader, that will open up another powerful position in the party's leadership. Another member from the right of the GOP, Steve Scalise, is eyeing the chief whip role, according to the same Republican sources. |
| One described the jockeying at the senior ranks of the House Republican caucus, which could end up significantly altering the balance of power in the party, as "the new fight". | One described the jockeying at the senior ranks of the House Republican caucus, which could end up significantly altering the balance of power in the party, as "the new fight". |
| A meeting of House Republicans was called for 4pm as members grappled with the repercussions of Cantor's loss. | A meeting of House Republicans was called for 4pm as members grappled with the repercussions of Cantor's loss. |
| On the Hill, the GOP appeared under siege, as members huddled in offices to strategise, avoided making public comment and scurried along corridors to avoid questions from reporters. | On the Hill, the GOP appeared under siege, as members huddled in offices to strategise, avoided making public comment and scurried along corridors to avoid questions from reporters. |
| National Tea Party groups were not heavily involved in the Virginia race, leaving Brat to draw much of his pre-election support from conservative radio hosts like Laura Ingraham and Mark Levin, who nonetheless align themselves with the Tea Party. But Brat's win is a startling achievement for the conservative wing of the GOP, and it will provide new momentum for a Tea Party movement that, just a few weeks ago, was being written off after its candidates failed to win in a handful of challenges to lesser politicians. | National Tea Party groups were not heavily involved in the Virginia race, leaving Brat to draw much of his pre-election support from conservative radio hosts like Laura Ingraham and Mark Levin, who nonetheless align themselves with the Tea Party. But Brat's win is a startling achievement for the conservative wing of the GOP, and it will provide new momentum for a Tea Party movement that, just a few weeks ago, was being written off after its candidates failed to win in a handful of challenges to lesser politicians. |
| Earlier this primary season, Tea Party-aligned candidates lost a series of high-profile battles, including in Georgia, North Carolina and Kentucky, where there was a failed attempt to overthrow the Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell. In House primaries, the Tea Party appeared to have had even less success – its only notable victory was against a 91-year-old incumbent in Texas, Ralph Hall. | Earlier this primary season, Tea Party-aligned candidates lost a series of high-profile battles, including in Georgia, North Carolina and Kentucky, where there was a failed attempt to overthrow the Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell. In House primaries, the Tea Party appeared to have had even less success – its only notable victory was against a 91-year-old incumbent in Texas, Ralph Hall. |
| There were one or two exceptions –rightwinger Ben Sasse won the party's nomination in Nebraska, and in Mississippi, Chris McDaniel forced the incumbent Thad Cochran into a runoff. | There were one or two exceptions –rightwinger Ben Sasse won the party's nomination in Nebraska, and in Mississippi, Chris McDaniel forced the incumbent Thad Cochran into a runoff. |
| Open contributions: How much does Cantor's defeat matter? | |
| Still, party bosses believed the waning influence of conservative groups was beginning to show on the floor of the House, too, where there were a host of bills in which Republicans appeared to be ignoring the demands of influential conservative groups like the Club for Growth and Heritage Action. | Still, party bosses believed the waning influence of conservative groups was beginning to show on the floor of the House, too, where there were a host of bills in which Republicans appeared to be ignoring the demands of influential conservative groups like the Club for Growth and Heritage Action. |
| Just last week, a senior House Republican told the Guardian: "We're not yet out of the danger zone. But if Tea Party guys continue to lose at the ballot box, and on the floor of the House, they're going to either have to reform or die." | Just last week, a senior House Republican told the Guardian: "We're not yet out of the danger zone. But if Tea Party guys continue to lose at the ballot box, and on the floor of the House, they're going to either have to reform or die." |
| Now that consensus has been turned on its head, and the national consequences of that shift are likely to reverberate way beyond the immediate battle to replace Cantor as House majority leader. | Now that consensus has been turned on its head, and the national consequences of that shift are likely to reverberate way beyond the immediate battle to replace Cantor as House majority leader. |
| Early talk about those consequences has focused on immigration reform, with the perception that Cantor – despite public pronouncements to the contrary – might support such legislation, against the wishes of many in the Republican base. But Brat insisted his win was more than just a protest vote over immigration reform. | Early talk about those consequences has focused on immigration reform, with the perception that Cantor – despite public pronouncements to the contrary – might support such legislation, against the wishes of many in the Republican base. But Brat insisted his win was more than just a protest vote over immigration reform. |
| “Immigration is a part [of my platform], but I ran on fiscal issues,” he told MSNBC in an interview. | “Immigration is a part [of my platform], but I ran on fiscal issues,” he told MSNBC in an interview. |
| “Amnesty [for undocumented migrants] was a clear differentiator between myself and Eric Cantor, because it fits into the narrative that Eric has not been present in the district, and was out of touch – he was supporting the Chamber of Commerce agenda on that one.” | “Amnesty [for undocumented migrants] was a clear differentiator between myself and Eric Cantor, because it fits into the narrative that Eric has not been present in the district, and was out of touch – he was supporting the Chamber of Commerce agenda on that one.” |
| Some mainstream Republicans have dismissed the Virginia result as a fluke, and in some instances have blamed a Democratic dirty tricks campaign for flooding the primary election with voters aimed at disrupting GOP election chances by backing a more extreme candidate. | Some mainstream Republicans have dismissed the Virginia result as a fluke, and in some instances have blamed a Democratic dirty tricks campaign for flooding the primary election with voters aimed at disrupting GOP election chances by backing a more extreme candidate. |
| But although turnout in the open primary was 28 per cent higher than normal, Cantor’s total vote dropped from 37,698 in 2012 to 28,898 and Brat did best in heavily Republican precincts. | But although turnout in the open primary was 28 per cent higher than normal, Cantor’s total vote dropped from 37,698 in 2012 to 28,898 and Brat did best in heavily Republican precincts. |
| Independent local commentators also pointed to the defeat of Cantor’s pick to chair the party’s district committee this spring as a sign that the revolt had been brewing for some time. | Independent local commentators also pointed to the defeat of Cantor’s pick to chair the party’s district committee this spring as a sign that the revolt had been brewing for some time. |
| “Cantor represents what people don’t like about Washington,” University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias told the Guardian. “I think they perceive him as the Washington establishment … I think he lost touch with a number of his constituents.” | “Cantor represents what people don’t like about Washington,” University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias told the Guardian. “I think they perceive him as the Washington establishment … I think he lost touch with a number of his constituents.” |