Cantor keeps Culpeper

The Republican-controlled Virginia House of Delegates passed a congressional redistricting plan Friday that keeps Culpeper and Orange counties in House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s Seventh District while dropping Madison and Rappahannock.

The plan, modeled after House Bill 251 – sponsored by Albemarle Republican Del. Robert Bell – redraws the state’s 11 congressional districts so that they all have the same population.

H.B. 251 goes to the state senate for a vote next week, and is ultimately expected to pass.

Currently, Cantor’s district starts in Richmond stretching north to Page County, including all of Hanover, Goochland, Louisa, Culpeper, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock along with parts of Henrico, Richmond City, Chesterfield, Caroline and Spotsylvania.

Per the new statehouse-approved plan, the Seventh District would continue to include all of Culpeper and Orange along with Goochland, Hanover, Louisa and New Kent counties. Partial localities included in Cantor’s district would consist of Chesterfield, Henrico, Richmond City and Spotsylvania.

Culpeper County Republican Committee Chairman Steve Nixon welcomed the news that Culpeper would very likely stay in Cantor’s district.

“I think it is great we were able to retain Eric,” Nixon said Friday. “He has been very good for the community and the district and has helped us in many ways. Whenever we have called on him he has been there to support us.”

As part of the redistricting, Madison and Rappahannock counties would shift into the Fifth District represented by newly elected Rep. Robert Hurt, a lawyer and former state senator. In 2010, Hurt, a Republican from Chatham, beat Democrat Tom Perriello, who served just one term.

District Five, per the redistricting plan approved Friday, would continue to include Albemarle County and Charlottesville along with Greene County, and other localities.

Cantor has represented the Seventh District since being elected in 2000 along with President George W. Bush. Cantor, a rising national figure in the Republican Party, regularly visits Culpeper, where he has a firm base of support.

Cantor was part of a bipartisan delegation touring the Middle East Friday to discuss Iran with U.S. allies in the region. They met with leaders in Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

“It is clear from our discussions … that we all strongly share concerns about the threat posed by Iran, as well as the strategic goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapons capability,” said Cantor in a release.

“It is a matter of finding the best means to that end, and coordinating our efforts with our partners in the region.”

Cantor is the only Jewish Republican in Congress. His wife, Diana Cantor, a financial industry professional, serves on the board of Media General, the Star-Exponent’s parent company.