None of the political pundits saw this coming – Dave Brat beat Eric Cantor and beat him by a full 11%!
Covington VA –-(Ammoland.com)- Eric Cantor was his own worst enemy in his reelection bid.
For years Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) tried to get Cantor to simply return his VCDL Candidate Survey to give his gun-owning constituents an idea of his future votes on gun-related issues.
That is not a time-consuming thing and it would have been a great way for him to communicate his current AND FUTURE support for our right to keep and bear arms to over 26,000 people.
But, no, he refused. I guess he was too big and too important a man to stoop down to the level of mere constituents to communicate his position on critical gun issues once every TWO YEARS.
Starting about 6 years ago, VCDL asked Cantor to move his annual “Republican Roundup” event to a gun-friendly venue so that gun owners could attend and feel welcome. He, and the then Republican 7th Congressional District Party Chairman, Lynwood Cobb, ignored us.
We even found alternate locations for the event. Cantor and Cobb refused to make any changes. Gun owners would just have to suck it up.
So VCDL members protested at a few of the Republican Roundups. They were decent sized protests, too, and included a banner-carrying airplane flying over the Roundup. The press took note of those protests.
Still nothing. Gun owners were feeling more and more that Cantor and Lynwood Cobb were taking us for granted.
Bad move.
The chickens came home to roost for Cobb at the 7th Congressional District Convention, when Fred Gruber won the Chairmanship last month. And they roosted on top of Cantor last night in the primary.
I was told by a 7th Congressional District poll worker that there was a lot of talk at his polling place, and at other polling places, about the effectiveness of the VCDL robocalls last week. Turns out a lot of gun owners who had put Cantor signs in their yards, based on the NRA’s endorsement of Cantor, removed and replaced them with Brat signs when the robocall pointed out that Cantor had not returned his VCDL candidate survey!
No doubt that Cantor’s prior support for One Handgun a Month had also caught many by surprise.
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In the other two races, incumbent 1st Congressional District Republican candidate, Rob Whitman trounced his opponent, Anthony Riedel. Congressman Whitman did not return the VCDL Candidate Survey. That may work when there is such a huge disparity between candidates, but Eric Cantor can testify that it is not a good idea to make a habit of it. If a non-responding candidate ends up in a tight race, gun owners might well send him packing.
Anti-gun Democrat Donald Beyer just barely got more votes (percentage wise) in the 8th Congressional District than Cantor did in the 7th Congressional District. But with the vote being split between so many candidates, Beyer won handily. No big surprise – he has lots of money and name recognition as a previous Lt. Governor and car dealership owner. He is running to replace another anti-gun Democrat – Jim Moran.
We’ll just have to make sure that none of his future gun-control schemes get any traction if he gets elected in November.
About:
Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right. Visit: www.vcdl.org
That is 1 less arrogent RINO but we have a long ways to go. They are like cockroaches , all over the place
It is a start. We need to show a lot of them the door and it is for exit only.
Not only is this a positive political upset, the primary also showed good voter turnout.
Phil;
That’s the democrat Party your referring to!
Years ago, I was a Little League umpire. This one’s for you, Mr. Cantor:
Yoooouuuu’rrrrrre OUT!
Batter Boehner, you’re up.
I am commenting on an unrelated item simply because YOU HAVE NO OTHER OBVIOUS WAY TO REACH YOU. I was using the WIFI at the Staples in Annapolis, MD. My access to your site was blocked by Staples from within Facebook by Staples. Are you aware of this. What gives? Staples refused to answer a message on FB asking for clarification.
This is fantastic ! Thing are about to change in DC ! That “John McCain” traitor mentality in the GOP is history !
Don’t be too quick to celebrate.
Once Washington gets a hold of the new guy,they will convert him to their views.
Its onky a matter of time, money, bribes, women, kickbacks, stock insider trading, health care, he will be on their side!