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Eric Cantor (R-Va.)

House Majority Leader, 112th Congress (since January 2011)

(Robert Giroux/Getty Images)

Why He Matters

Rarely do Republicans mention Cantor without calling him a rising star. And his star has only shone brighter since he has nabbed the post of House Majority Leader.

After just one term in the House, the Virginia representative was handpicked by then-House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) to serve as his deputy minority whip in 2003.

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Background

At a Glance

Career History: House Minority Whip (2008-2011); House Deputy Minority Whip (2005-2009); House Deputy Majority Whip (2003 to 2005); U.S. House (since 2000); Virginia House of Representatives (1992 to 20000); Lawyer (1988 to 1992)
Birthday: June 6, 1963
Hometown: Richmond, Va.
Alma Mater: George Washington University, BA, 1985; College of William and Mary, JD, 1988; Columbia University, MS, 1989
Spouse: Diana
Religion: Jewish
DC Office: 329 Cannon Building, 202-225-2815

District Offices: Glen Allen, 804-747-4073; Culpeper, 540-825-8960
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Path to Power

Cantor grew up in a wealthy family in Richmond, Va. His parents were both involved in the community; his father sat on the Housing Authority Board, and his mother was on the boards at the Family and Children's Trust Fund and the Science Museum of Virginia.

As a student at George Washington University, Cantor interned for then-Rep. Thomas Bliley (R-Va.), serving as his driver for his 1982 campaign. He went on to chair some of Bliley's re-election efforts. In his senior year, he worked for a member of the Virginia House of Delegates.

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After earning a law degree from William and Mary Law School and a master's degree in real estate from Columbia University, he took a job at his family's real-estate firm in Richmond.

Virginia and U.S. House

When his old state House boss retired in 1991, Cantor ran to replace him. He out-organized and out-raised his rivals even though he was only 28 years old.

In the state House, Cantor frequently sided with business, passing bills that limited the amount of money Virginia-based Philip Morris was required to pay in tobacco lawsuits and killing legislation that would have reduced telemarketing calls.

In 2000, he decided to run for Bliley's seat after his House retirement. He faced a challenging primary from a state senator who charged that Cantor was an elitist who didn't understand the problems of his constituents. Cantor struck back, out-spending his rival by almost four to one.

Just weeks before the election, voters began receiving phone calls highlighting Cantor's Judaism. The calls tightened the race significantly - Cantor won by only 263 votes.

Cantor prevailed in the general election with 67 percent of the vote.

House Leadership

In 2002, Blunt handpicked Cantor to serve as chief deputy whip at the end of his first term. According to Cantor, the selection was a total surprise. He told the Weekly Standard that when Blunt called to offer him the job, he thought he was calling about an opening on the Ways and Means Committee.

Like many Republicans, Cantor was caught up in the Jack Abramoff scandals. In 2003, he and other Republicans signed a letter to Interior Secretary Gale Norton opposing a plan by the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians to open a casino near another one owned by the Coushattas, an Abramoff client. Abramoff also raised $30,000 for Cantor, who has since given $10,000 to charity.

In 2006, Blunt temporarily took over the majority leader post after Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) stepped down due to a Texas campaign finance lawsuit. Cantor became the whip in everything but name. Blunt ran for (and expected to win) the majority leader slot, so Cantor was favored to move up to whip. But Blunt lost to Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) and kept his old job, leaving Cantor as his deputy.

Skilled Fundraiser

Cantor was a prodigious fundraiser in the 2008 cycle. Along with Reps. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), he launched a fundraising program to protect 17 GOP House incumbents and capture open House seats. More than 50 GOP members agreed to donate at least $1,000 and to host a fundraiser on the candidates' behalf.

Cantor personally campaigned in 80 to 90 House districts. Four of his "young guns" unseated incumbents and three secured open seats.

Cantor got his first taste of presidential politics in 2008. He endorsed McCain early, and proved to be one of his best congressional surrogates. His name was floated as a potential veep, a move supported by several of the party's more conservative members.

Cantor was also encouraged to seek Virginia's open Senate seat in 2008, but he wasn't interested.

The Issues

Cantor is a darling of the party's right wing - he has been labeled as a standout leader by the American Conservative Union, which gave him a 100 percent score on votes in 2007. He voted with his party 93 percent of the time in the 110th Congress.

The Republican has focused on lowering taxes for families and making America more business friendly. He is also a staunch supporter of Israel and opposed to illegal immigration. In 2008, he proposed a database that would allow police to check whether a suspect is an illegal immigrant.

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One of Cantor's major House objectives has been thwarting Democratic plans and needling that party's leaders. He introduced an amendment in 2007 that drew attention to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) request to use an air force jet to fly home to California. During a minimum wage debate in 2008, he gave out stickers with smiling tuna to highlight what he called an exemption for a tuna plant for a company based in Pelosi's district.

Health-Care Reform

Cantor became a prominent Republican voice opposing the Obama administration's health-care proposals.

He disagreed with the administration's insistence that a public insurance option would compete with private insurance and keep the industry honest. In fact, Cantor said a public option would be an "unfair competitor" when he spoke with The Washington Post's Lois Romano in May 2009.

Cantor and his Republican colleagues fought the legislation for more than a year, and helped promote a grassroots outcry against what they dubbed a "government takeover" of health care.

Despite their best efforts, the House passed the Senate version of health-care reform without any Republican votes on March 21, 2010, clearing the way for the Senate to approve a package of amendments insisted on by the lower chamber with a simple majority (using a process known as reconciliation).

The $940 billion bill requires most Americans to carry health insurance and require that insurance companies cover them, regardless of pre-existing conditions. It establishes a national insurance exchange allowing Americans to compare and purchase insurance plans. The bill will be paid for by increasing taxes on well-off Medicare recipients and by taxing premium insurance plans. By the end of the bill's 10-year roll-out, 32 million uninsured Americans will have health coverage and the deficit will be $138 billion lower, the Congressional Budget Office estimated.

The Economy

Cantor is a strong fiscal conservative. He took a major gamble when he urged all House Republicans to solidly oppose President Obama's economic stimulus package, which passed the House without a single Republican vote on Feb. 13, 2009.

Though Cantor voted in favor of the $700 bank bailout bill when it was initially proposed (one of 65 Republicans to do so), he quickly became one of the party's top advocates for an alternative that would have had the government insure all mortgages. He was one of the top negotiators for the proposal, which the Treasury opposed.

But not without an ear for the politically popular, Cantor voted with Democrats on a bill that would charge a 90 percent tax on all executive bonuses. The move angered many of his fellow legislators, who accused Cantor of teaming with Democrats to sponsor a potentially unconstitutional bill.

Taxes

As a member of the plum House Ways and Means Committee, Cantor has advocated for reducing taxes on businesses and families.

He told the Weekly Standard in October 2007: "I don't think we came to Washington to fix everybody's problems." He said he's worried that Republicans have lost their "fiscal brand."

One of his first legislative acts was to push a tax credit of $1,000 per child for all parents with school-age children.

In 2006, he introduced legislation that offered tax cuts for those who made contributions to a high-deductible health savings account. He has proposed tax cuts on hedge fund gains. In 2007, he pushed for a bill that would have provided tax credits to those who invest in rail infrastructure.

Israel

Cantor is the sole Jewish Republican in the House, and he is the highest beneficiary of pro-Israel campaign dollars.

He has used these connections to bridge the divide between wealthy Israeli donors and Republicans, pushing the party to take a stronger stand on Israel. As a member of the House's terrorism task force, he has advocated for a tougher stance on Syria, Iran and Iraq.

The Network

Cantor was handpicked by Blunt for a leadership position, and John Boehner touts their close relationship, claiming that he is a "mentor" to Cantor. Cantor's chief deputy whip is Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)

Cantor was one of Arizona Sen. John McCain's most vocal and visible supporters in the 2008 presidential campaign. He raised $10 million for McCain's coffers, reaching out particularly to Jewish and pro-Israel voters.

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Additional Resources