# Down Goes Eric Cantor **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 11, 2014, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516 "2014-06-11T00:05:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/221 "2014-06-12T15:06:34Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Don’t get high on your own supply. Don’t believe your own propaganda. Or you know what - do believe it. Better for us. Doesn’t matter too much what I personally believe. My only impact is my own vote. I’ll be pulling that blue lever (metaphorically, we use optical scan ballots). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/222 "2014-06-12T15:09:16Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > When your party hates blacks, Hispanics, women, and the poor, it’s going to be tough to win elections. Well, actually and apparently, that all depends on the state/county/district. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/223 "2014-06-12T15:18:30Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [John Nichols writes in _The Nation:_](http://www.thenation.com/blog/180189/eric-cantor-defeated-conservative-who-rips-crony-capitalism) Cenk Uygar of The Young Turks[did an analysis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vkIm7EZcxs) of Brat’s platform and came to the conclusion that he’s a straight-up economic populist, and furthermore, that his economic populism was what drove him to victory, NOT opposition to immigration reform, as Republicans want to believe. Uygar pointed to polls that showed that 70 percent of Republicans in Cantor’s district FAVORED immigration reform, with just 27 percent opposed. Doesn’t THIS make a lot more sense? It certainly explains why Cantor was willing to publicly support immigration reform … he’d seen the polls too and new it was a safe move for him. What he didn’t realize that being perceived as a total Wall Street sellout would be a problem for him. I hope Uygar is right. Perhaps the natural allies of progressives is the Teabaggers, not classic liberals who are comfy with Wall Street. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/224 "2014-06-12T15:50:09Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Rachel Maddow gave this some much needed perspective last night. We’re all reading this as a huge backlash against immigration reform. The polling doesn’t support that. Most people in that district embrace immigration reform. What they don’t like is the Republican congressional leadership. Eric Cantor simply got too big for his britches and stopped caring about his district. Brat ran a single-issue campaign on immigration, but he could have picked any other issue (abortion, gun control, the designated hitter) and still beaten Cantor. > > This all shakes down as great news for the only sane party standing. Republicans are going to misread this as an excuse to slam the door on immigration reform. This will push Hispanics to the Democratic Party. When your party hates blacks, Hispanics, women, and the poor, it’s going to be tough to win elections. Seriously, dude? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/225 "2014-06-12T15:59:01Z")
It’s hilarious when conservatives act all shocked that they are called out on their hate. You are the party of racism and misogyny and homophobia, the party of fear and ignorance. If it bothers you that much try to do something about it rather than getting pissy at being called on it. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/226 "2014-06-12T16:06:14Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Seriously, dude? Sorry, I forgot. They hate gays, too. And Muslims. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/227 "2014-06-12T16:20:10Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > It’s hilarious when conservatives act all shocked that they are called out on their hate. You are the party of racism and misogyny and homophobia, the party of fear and ignorance. If it bothers you that much try to do something about it rather than getting pissy at being called on it. Nah, they like being what they are; they just think it’s rude when people point it out as if it were a bad thing. So they’re not going to change; they’re just going to continue to work on their PR and work the refs, who are so deep into Bothsidesdoitism as a MSM article of faith that that doesn’t even take any work anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/228 "2014-06-12T17:38:50Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > This will push Hispanics to the Democratic Party. When your party hates blacks, Hispanics, women, and the poor, it’s going to be tough to win elections. So does a Hispanic Republican cause you to shut down, muttering “Does not compute,” until someone reboots your system? If so: heya! Here I am. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/229 "2014-06-12T17:51:37Z")
One! Count 'em, one! And a black one! That’s two of the supposed props for the Dems, kicked out from under! Now, if the gay felon will just come forward… ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/230 "2014-06-12T18:00:46Z")
Um, yeah, about that … the fact that they let you give them money and vote for them does not imply that they don’t still hate you. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/231 "2014-06-12T18:04:59Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > So does a Hispanic Republican cause you to shut down, muttering “Does not compute,” until someone reboots your system? > > If so: heya! Here I am. OMG! No! BobLibDem’s point is buttressed by the California experience. Moderate Republicans or heck socially conservative Republicans have a decent shot at the Hispanic vote. But sending out a message of suspicion, hostility and ignorance – and face it that appeals to part of their white aged base – really damages the Republican brand among Hispanics. Pete Wilson was able to coast to victory on the basis of hostility to illegal aliens. But he swung Hispanics to the Democratic camp for a generation. While _moderate_ immigration reform polled well in Brat’s district, recall that bulk of Republican voters didn’t participate in the primary. Hostility to immigration reform may have played a bigger role than the revisionists claim. And Brat will hoover up the corporate contributions as much as any other typical freshman Republican. Probably more so, given his anti-guv noises. > **[Maybe Eric Cantor didn't lose because of immigration reform after all](https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/06/maybe-eric-cantor-didnt-lose-because-immigration-reform-after-all/)** > > It turns out that Republicans in his district don't actually hate the idea that much. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/232 "2014-06-12T18:11:24Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > So does a Hispanic Republican cause you to shut down, muttering “Does not compute,” until someone reboots your system? > > If so: heya! Here I am. There are always a few outliers. Look at Allen West. One can’t explain the occasional misfit in any group. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/233 "2014-06-12T18:20:49Z")
Feeling kinda left out here, guys. Who’s the Dirty Fucking Hippy who sides with the Republicans? Must be one somewhere, they got the black guy, got the Hispanic guy. Not me, fer damnsure! I stand ready to\* firmly \*reject any such efforts at bribery or subversion! I will, if necessary, set up a PayPal account so that I can more effectively reject such attempts! My principles cannot be bought! Rented, maybe. But not _bought!_ ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/234 "2014-06-12T18:23:44Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Sorry, I forgot. They hate gays, too. And Muslims. Wow! Except for the fact that I am a Republican and support SSM, have gone to pride parades with my wife’s friends, have dated Muslim women and have respect Islam, especially that Allah is described as “the merciful god of mercy”. Youy response? Or are you going to ignore it like all the other Dems that paint Republicans with a broad brush assuming we’re all TeaBaggers? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/235 "2014-06-12T18:23:53Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > While _moderate_ immigration reform polled well in Brat’s district, recall that bulk of Republican voters didn’t participate in the primary. Hostility to immigration reform may have played a bigger role than the revisionists claim. A I wondered about that as well. If 70% of the district as a whole favor reform but only 15% bothered to vote in the primary while 20% of the other third showed up… (Numbers courtesy of Thin Air Statistics) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/236 "2014-06-12T18:24:38Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > There are always a few outliers. Look at Allen West. One can’t explain the occasional misfit in any group. There are always a few opportunists, too. J.C. Watts ran for Congress as a Republican, after being told by them what a bright future he had in the party. Once he realized he was being put in front of the cameras as a token, not with actual powers, he quit in disgust. After West, there are now zero blacks (and, without Cantor, zero Jews too) in the GOP’s congressional delegation. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/237 "2014-06-12T18:31:27Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Wow! Except for the fact that I am a Republican and support SSM, have gone to pride parades with my wife’s friends, have dated Muslim women and have respect Islam, especially that Allah is described as “the merciful god of mercy”. > > Youy response? Or are you going to ignore it like all the other Dems that paint Republicans with a broad brush assuming we’re all TeaBaggers? First the Republicans drummed out their liberals. Then their moderates. Now the GOP is divided about whether the US government should pay its bills. I agree that Washington Republicans are more extreme than the typical Republican voter. But the typical Republican voter doesn’t pose any electoral threat. It’s the _primary_ voter that matters in safe districts, and they are disproportionately Tea Party fanatics. Republican primary voters outside of the Tea Party exist, and there are a lot of them. But they are not organized and practically speaking aren’t especially offended by nuttery. It’s for these sorts of reasons that the professional class has been trending Democratic. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/238 "2014-06-12T18:34:05Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > It’s hilarious when conservatives act all shocked that they are called out on their hate. You are the party of racism and misogyny and homophobia, the party of fear and ignorance. If it bothers you that much try to do something about it rather than getting pissy at being called on it. I’m conservative. I only hate bigots. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/239 "2014-06-12T18:43:09Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Wow! Except for the fact that I am a Republican and support SSM, have gone to pride parades with my wife’s friends, have dated Muslim women and have respect Islam, especially that Allah is described as “the merciful god of mercy”. > > Youy response? Or are you going to ignore it like all the other Dems that paint Republicans with a broad brush assuming we’re all TeaBaggers? My response is that the fact that you vote republican does a lot more harm to each of those causes than any marching or muslin dating you might do. You don’t get to handwave away your support for the party of hate and ignorance just because you personally might feel different. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516/240 "2014-06-12T18:44:09Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > So does a Hispanic Republican cause you to shut down, muttering “Does not compute,” until someone reboots your system? > > If so: heya! Here I am. Obviously some Hispanics will vote Republican, ignoring the outright hostility that the GOP has for them. It’s like a particular Catholic thinking abortion rights are okay, it proves nothing about the organization. Surely you must understand that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/down-goes-eric-cantor/690516.md?page=13)