Cantor elected to House GOP leadership post

WASHINGTON — Rep. Eric I. Cantor became the No. 2 Republican in the U.S. House Wednesday, winning an uncontested election as the party’s whip.

“Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” Cantor said before the 175 Republican members of the House unanimously elected him.

Cantor is the first Virginian ever to hold the post in either party. As whip, he will work with Republican Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, to coordinate the votes and messages of GOP House members. The two men announced their party is united.

“We know we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us,” said Cantor. Republicans lost dozens of House seats Nov. 4. “We will serve as a check in the balance to the power of President-elect (Barack) Obama and Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi.”

Cantor’s rise in the leadership after being appointed deputy whip in 2002 marks a high point in the Richmond lawyer’s political career. But it also comes at a low point for his party.

“House Republicans are practically an appendage. That’s how insignificant they will be in this upcoming session,” said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

Cantor has called for his party to cooperate with Democrats when possible, namely on tax breaks for small business and on other economic issues. But he was also clear about where Republicans should draw the line.

“(If) their proposals end up being the tired, old, big government spending proposals, we’re going to oppose them,” he said.

Cantor had said he sought the post — vacated by Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. — to restart the momentum behind “common sense conservative” values and strengthen the voice of the Republican Party in reaching new, younger voters. Cantor is 45.

Virginia Republican Party chairman Jeffrey M. Frederick hailed Cantor’s election as a victory for the commonwealth. He said it would give Cantor “an opportunity to lend an extra hand to Virginia.”

“Having one of your guys in place is better than not. And usually having one of your guys in place is advantageous,” he said.

He also called Cantor’s win a sign national Republicans are embracing diversity.

“The fact that not only the House Republicans elected a young guy, but a Jewish-American, I think that’s a great thing,” he said.