The Tea Party is Celebrating a Huge Victory in Virginia
The Tea Party is celebrating a huge victory in Virginia… the unseating of the number-two House Republican. Now campaign watchers are trying to understand what this means heading into midterm elections.
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((sot: Â Dave Brat/(R) Congressional Nominee))
This is a victory from God that just happened.
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((sot: Rep. Eric Cantor/(R) House Majority Leader))
Obviously we came up short.
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Outspent by Cantor 40 to 1, Brat campaigned for cutting government spending.. Â and against immigration reform. Cantor recently angered conservatives voting to raise the debt ceiling.. and backing legislation that would grant legal status to immigrant children.
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((on cam: Craig Boswell/CBS News))
Cantor’s defeat creates a GOP power vacuum – He was the frontrunner to eventually replace House Speaker John Boehner.. But Republicans are more focused on what this Tea Party victory means for the future of their party.Â
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((sot: Bob Schieffer/CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent)) (8:02:27)
What this is about is the deep and widening divide in the Republican Party.
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“Face the Nation” host Bob Schieffer says Cantor’s ability to negotiate and compromise with Democrats is not  what Tea Party voters want.
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((sot: Bob Schieffer/CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent)) (8:03:44)
They’re basically against everybody in the establishment, and in elected office right now.
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CBS News political director John Dickerson says other lawmakers up for re-election will be studying this defeat.
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((sot: John Dickerson/CBS News Political Director)) (7:09:43)
and that lesson is: do not get too far from what your base wants.
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Cantor says he will have more to say later today.>
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Possible Majority leader replacements for Cantor include Republicans Kevin McCarthy of California, Jeb Hensarling of Texas, Jim Jordan of Ohio, and Cathy McMorris of Washington
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