First, let’s get it straight. It wasn’t Tea Party financial support that enabled Dave Brat to beat GOP Majority Leader Eric Cantor in the Virginia primary last night as the media has been saying.
Dave Brat surprised everyone with his primary victory over House Majority Leader Eric Cantor last night in Virginia. (NationalReview.com photo)
Putting it simply, Brat did campaign on principles Tea Partiers and true Republicans stand for – primarily adherence to the Constitution – not moves to be Democrat-lite, to appear more moderate.
Cantor and some other Republicans still seem to think they can win the Latino vote by supporting comprehensive immigration reform. It’s not going to happen. We need to support and adhere to the immigration laws now on the books.
Conservatives are also tired of the lack of leadership in the House that has not used its powers to stop the president from subverting the rule of law and going weak-kneed on the repeal of ObamaCare. They’re also frustrated by the foot-dragging on the Fast and Furious, IRS, Benghazi and VA scandals. And, just because the Democrats control the Senate, it doesn’t mean Republican members can’t be more vocal on the issues, ala Senators Ted Cruz and Mike Lee.
Brat spent less than $200,000 on his campaign versus Cantor’s $6 billion. He had the support of conservative talk radio, where I heard Mark Levin muse Monday night (I paraphrase) wouldn’t it be interesting if the Republicans took back the Senate in the mid-terms while Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell went down in defeat.
Even though Brat is merely a Republican who wants his party to stand for its principles and ideas to turn the country around, watch for the Democrats to label Brat as an “extreme right-winger” with ties to the Tea Party.
If ever there was a wake-up call for Republicans who talk of reaching across the aisle, the Brat victory last night was it.
The House would be wise to replace Cantor as majority leader with someone outside the current leadership line. Instead of Rep. Kevin McCarthy or Rep. Jeb Hensarling, why not Rep. Jason Chaffetz or Rep. Devin Nunes, two excellent spokesmen on Republican principles.
