I just don’t see how Eric Cantor pulls it out at this point. He has suffered devastating blows in Hanover, Chesterfield and even in Henrico – his home county. Say goodbye to the Majority Leader. The grassroots have spoken. They wanted to send a strong message to Washington DC and they just did.
Oh, by the way…the tea party is alive and well!
More to come later.
101 comments
[…] 6/10/2014 Eric Cantor gets dumped. Dave Brat wins 7th district […]
I don’t want to spoil anyone’s moment (and Cantor’s loss is clearly a triumph for Repub. grassroots, whether Tea Party or not) but Democratic votes played a role here, too. I’m a Dem and made sure to support Brat on Tuesday, as did most of my Dem friends as well.
Also, I compared precinct results from Tues with the 2012 race between Cantor and Democrat Wayne Powell. In Western Henrico,5 of Brat’s 7 strongest precincts were also Wayne Powell’s strongest as well. Not conclusive, of course, but evidence of Democratic involvement.
Not that Brat’s campaign did anything to encourage us, despite Cantor’s charges in that line. In fact, the week before the election I got a mailing from a democratic-leaning lobbyist asking me to vote for Cantor!
Remember, we Dems have disliked Cantor a lot longer than most of you guys. It remains to be seen whether our votes for Brat will be justified by events or not.
SHOCK & AWE BABY!
RINSE & REPEAT!
WHAT RINO NEXT?
This is incredibly amazing and I am so excited about this. Since 0500 I have been thinking I hope and pray that Americans understand what just happened here. Dave Brat and those of us who supported him proved beyond a doubt that brown shoe leather CAN WIN AGAINST GREEN PAPER! I hope this political victory becomes the key that starts the ignition of America’s engine once again!
Burning questions: Is the executive board of the CCRC on suicide watch?
What health exchange will Eric Cantor choose for himself and his family?
Lesson to be learned: Run on the Republican Creed. It’s a winner.
this times 1,000.
Watching Dave on TV last night, he was being a Republican running on the Republican Creed. He articulated it beautifully and it resonates with people. Why aren’t the Republicans running in the rest of the state doing this? I haven’t heard much from Barbara Comstock. She refuses to come out to Frederick County where she would find many, many votes if she talked like Dave Brat. Same with Ed Gillespie. I didn’t hear much of this on Saturday from him, either. It’s so simple and yet no one except Dave Brat is articulating Republican principles. See what happens when you stay with and articulate the Republican Creed? Landslide territory. It works every time. It’s not too late. Get it done!
Well done 7th!! Shame on us in the 5th for losing Shak Hill!
[…] http://thebullelephant.com/eric-cantor-gets-dumped-dave-brat-wins-7th-district/ […]
So…I guess Ray Allen is in the market for a new sugar daddy….
Fire the RINOS, liars, and cool-aid drinkers. I hope all of those serving Loudoun County will take notice too. Michew, Greason, LaRock, Black and the local supervisors are a disgrace.
Has the Tea Party already turned on Dave LaRock?
and yet, the website has Eric Cantor ads all over it and no ads for Brat. Money talks I guess
I guess money can’t buy you love.
Or so the Beatles said.
What do you think: will Cantor now repent and come out for true conservatism or will he join the ranks of those determined to undermine the grassroots? Would be nice to have him choose the former.
“Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.”
Mark Twain
Election results in all three Virginia primaries here:http://electionresults.virginia.gov/resultsSW.aspx?type=CON&map=CTY
Brat won by 11.10%! A real whippin’!
I hope Sens. Watkins and Stosch are keeping track of the events of tonight … betray Republican principles at your peril Might I suggest to draft Ms. Radtke for Sen. Stosch’s seat?
I just heard that Cantor spent $5 MILLION and Brat spent $100,000! WOW!!! Money doesn’t always matter.
Gee, who said that last week? 🙂
I’m am so thrilled and excited. It helps soften the blow of coming back to VA under McAwful. Great victory for the grassroots!
What strikes me is the era of Carl Rove’s Republican politics mantra that ONLY the largest campaign chest has any winning chance may have gone into the history books tonight. Dave Brat was not just outspent but massively outspent for messaging few bought into in the 7th District. For those at the national level flipping this aside as a local one off you need only look at Ben Sasse’s win in Nebraska where a conservative candidate was again significantly outspent yet prevailed. Hopefully this trend will encourage new, fresh candidates to take the leap and come forward and not be dissuaded by the purported establishment money “machine”.
Ps Club for Growth you really blew this one!
I see shades of 2010. But the shades I see in 2014 are much brighter.
It will be good to have the Cantor advertising off this site!
I’ve been enjoying the exquisite irony of having his ads on articles like “A Call to Censure Eric Cantor” and “Cantor On Verge of Historic Primary Loss”, myself.
Hey, um, where’d all the folks who were telling us how awesome primaries are gone run off too?
I’m still here. It’s not about the outcome, it’s about the process (though I’m agnostic about the outcome here).
I’ll give you points for that.
So how’s my math look now? That 800 math SAT score was good for something eh?
I took the SATs, too (710 math), and I don’t recall any questions dealing with margins of error. The Daily Caller poll had Cantor up by 13 points, with a +/- 4-point MoE. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, they were 19 points off. Bad polling (but not as bad as Cantor’s).
Numbers are but a subset of math skills. Highly advanced mathematics actually uses very few numbers at all – what it really comes down to is pattern recognition, and that last poll combined with Cantor’s visible desperation fit in with a pattern of an incumbent getting rejected by the electorate.
Okay, but as a predictor of outcome, both that poll and Cantor’s showed Cantor with a double-digit lead. They were both incredibly inaccurate.
My guess is that the poll WAS accurate, but in order to extrapolate from that to an actual election outcome, one needed to take into account who they were polling vs. the open nature of the primary. Cantor’s 100% name recognition resulting in 40% solid support practically begged for the conclusion that anyone who hadn’t already decided was going to vote against Cantor or sit it out.
if anyone was honest…Cantor lost because of Democrats voting in a open primary.
Definitely NOT our experience in New Kent County, but if Cantor backers want to delude themselves, that’s OK.
Cantor lost because he made more enemies than friends. Had there been a convention he would have lost by even more.
No, he didn’t. Cantor lost by 7,000 votes. There is zero chance that crossover voting altered the outcome of this election.
Could be that there were lots of folks like me, who realized that any commissioned robo-poll was likely paid for by Cantor and simply hung up when they got the call. They didn’t need to know who I was going to vote for. Wasn’t going to change my vote and I wasn’t going to help them determine which way the tide was turning.
Interestingly, the only robo-poll (that I know of) was commissioned by the Daily Caller, who wrote their article as if they were supporting Brat.
Cantor’s survey used live interviewers.
There ARE tons of folks like you who refuse to answer surveys for whatever reason, but there are enough to get a statistically representative survey… if you do it right. Obviously, Cantor’s pollster (John McLaughlin) did not do it anything close to “right”, or he wouldn’t have been so, so far off the mark.
Slating! Slating! Slating!
He who lives by siating, dies by slating, and open primaries too!
Let us not downplay the role amnesty and the chaos on our border played in this splendidly surprise victory. Like many in the GOP “go along to get along” establishment, Eric Cantor has simply turned his back on traditional America. The truth is that we will not win Hispanic hearts and minds with amnesty of any sorts, because for the most part that demographic wants big government by an overwhelming margin. We are becoming a house divided with the fault line dividing those who disobey the law, have children they cannot support, and then expect others to pay for their children, from those who are responsible, law abiding, and self-sufficient. So, we need to get this notion out of our PC heads that third world immigration will not irrevocably change our country – it will. And the voters today know it, and they have spoken! http://www.pewresearch.org/daily-number/hispanics-favor-bigger-role-for-government/
Amnesty definitely played a role.
The truth is that we will not win Hispanic hearts and minds with amnesty of any sorts, because for the most part that demographic wants big government by an overwhelming margin….if that is true kiss the GOP goodbye…the GOP cannot be the white man party
Don’t worry about it too much. The liberty movement has ZERO problem attracting nonwhite voters. Our next big coup will be burning down the Democratic plantation they keep black voters on. When you see Republicans pull 20, 30 percent of the black vote, it’s GAME OVER INSERT COIN for the Democrats.
If you like the sound of that, hop on board. If you don’t – step out of the way because you ain’t going to be able to do a thing about it.
Would you please explain the Liberty movement? I went to quite a few Tea Party meetings in my area. Never saw one black or Hispanic that I can recall?
those involved in the TP in my area appear to be white. & very socially conservative. & over 30 or even 35
Thanks for the reply Kelly. Same here.
My focus has been consistently on corruption in government, jobs, the economy, big spending. That has been unacceptable with the Republicans, the tea party, and the so-called conservatives.
Just look at the posts in here. The leadership refuses to discuss the Republican big spending. Even right now, the Republican Senate is going to pass another massive McDonnell budget. Steve refuses to discuss it.
There is NOTHING clean about this budget.
My views on immigration reform have been very consistent for many years, along with everything else by the way, you hire an illegal you’re going to jail, and you’re going to pay one massive fine.
When it comes right down to it, a return to basic Biblical principles is the only answer.
The taking away of one’s rights to choose between good and evil is not a biblical principle. The denial of healthcare to the poor is not a basic biblical principle. Massive accumulation of wealth is by no means a biblical principle. The justification of corruption by saying what you did is righteous because the other party did it is not a biblical principle.
Google Ron Paul
I am not a white man.
nor I.
Even HISPANICS don’t want amnesty fool.
Beyond amazing. You know Chris Stearns and Curtis Colgate have to be smiling now!
I spoke with Curtis earlier.. 🙂 Happy Happy Happy.. We have an outstanding variety of candidates for our party to rally around.
History. Made.
Yes, we made history! The liitle campaign that could, DID!
Hope EG2 takes note. And Paul Ryan… 🙂
Ryan hands out Atlas Shrugged as Christmas presents.
What novel would you suggest as more appropriate?
Maybe Paul Ryan should read it himself.
His budgets make it clear he has read it.
Maybe you should answer the question.
Yeah, this past budget was a real triumph for the individual.
So answer the question.
What novel would you suggest as more appropriate?
I could really careless what Ryan hands out to friends at Christmas. But if you are looking for an actual title, An Introduction to Austrian Economics by Thomas C. Taylor.
Death of the West by Pat Buchanan. Paul Ryan needs to shut up the amnesty cap and represent America not chamber of commerce. Mass immigration from the third world will destroy our country.
How about: Without A Prayer – Ayn Rand And The Close Of Her System
http://www.amazon.com/Without-Prayer-Rand-Close-System/dp/0940931745/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402455319&sr=8-1&keywords=Ayn+Rand+without+a+prayer
And the negation of Rand leaves us with what?
At least you gave it a try.
What do you mean? Most of history is before Rand. Why not stand on the worldview that America was birthed in? That seemed to work quite well.
I agree with many of Ayn Rand’s conclusions, but you cannot get there with her “stated” worldview. Atheism gives no rational reason for individual liberty.
Her support of capitalism is much more linked to her persona experience with the failure of communism, than it is from pure reason. Every reasoned position starts with presuppositions and she ignores that and just takes illogical leaps to support capitalism and individual liberty.
I much prefer getting there from a worldview where individuals have true value and where I do not need giant leaps of faith.
While the link below is still a work in progress, the work gives conclusions that are consistent with the underlying worldview. My base point is that you cannot defeat socialism from an atheistic, man’s word and ideas are top, perspective. The two socialism and atheism are the same idea. http://www.thelibertyfoundation.us/
Who’s next?
From where I stand, I think all the incumbents should be wary…especially of openly insulting the grassroots of the Republican Party. Next? We need to defeat Mark Warner. Let’s hope the grassroots will be on board.
For Ed “single payor” Gillespie? Ha ha ha ha aha ha ha ha ha!
I’d say that somewhere in Arizona, Jeff Flake is feeling more than a little anxious.
RINOs beware! And by RINOs, I mean duplicitous Republicans who think they can campaign as a Conservative and once in office govern us as a Progressive. Having an “R” behind your name has little meaning to the grassroots. Principles matter, living your principles matter even more.
Establishment Republicans need to take note that money doesn’t have a vote. If you shoot at the TEA Party, we will shoot back.
and we’ve been getting a hell of a lot of time at the range to hone our aim, too!
Throw all the bums out!
German name, composer I think, favors slates and primaries, somewhere by the sea…
Randy Forbes just got a “D” challenger. The son of the Chester Village News editor (a hard lefty) just announced on the front page of today’s issue.
How about State Seator John Watkins?
The dems come thru!!!! Ha 🙂
Absolutely wonderful. It takes principles and an honest message to win over money.
This is absolutely wonderful.
Tea Party representation is inversely proportional to federal election success.
You go you Tea Party girls!
Cantor and his bungling consultants lost this one fair and square. They went on a scorched earth mission around the state to purge conservatives from leadership positions (and stooped to shady, and
questionably legal tactics to do it, by the way). By doing so, they created a mass
movement against them where one really didn’t exist — at least, didn’t
exist on a level of this magnitude if you look at the current election returns. Lesson: When you shoot at people, you should expect them to shoot back.
Most Republican consultants aren’t worth a tinker’s damn. Especially the ones that work for the Establishment.
Not a doorknob, not a doorknob, not a doorknob
Meanwhile, Brat’s campaign director turned 23 in May!
He’s young and smarter than most Republican consultants. It isn’t rocket science. Embrace what Republicans are supposed to stand for. It’s a winner.
I worked the polls for 12 yours today listening and surveying people. Let’s just say this: Cantor’s consultants lost this election for him. A whole bunch of dumb.
thanks for working the polls!
Yes!!!!!!!
OH MY GOSH. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! We, in the grassroots, needed this. I’m practically speechless over this! SO EXCITED! Let’s turn Virginia back red!
I’m with you!!
WoW WoW Holy Cow.!!! This is huge. I thought we did well in the Top of Virginia, unseating Sherwood & May after the Transportation Tax increase. This is just huge. I am glued to the internet & TV for the final results.!!!!
Grassroots, Good Candidates, and a fair election are all we ever need.
Biggest loser: Eric Cantor
Second biggest loser: McLaughlin & Associates, had Cantor up 62-28 two weeks ago.
Ray Allen is the guy who advised Cantor into the ground…he should be the biggest loser.
so true! his Saul Aulinski methods made everyone sick. Lies and distortions brought him down. Allen planned and set the tone for all of the Cantor campaign. So happy to see those tactics fail!
Alinski.
Not that it matters, right?
“Alinsky”, actually.
Irony is dead apparently.
Or too subtle.
Primary vs. Convention? Doesn’t matter so much, does it now Ray Allen? Hmmmm?
As much as this is going to suck for Allen long-term, in the short-term he got another good payoff out of that $5 million Cantor spent to lose this race.