Former Congressman Eric Cantor Says 2015 Will Be Fine if Tea Party Cools It

Former Virginia congressman Eric Cantor, who was defeated in the primaries by Tea Partier David Brat, expressed his hope that Republicans can work together with President Obama on legislation. David Brat secured a place in the Congress on Tuesday’s election. Cantor expressed his concern on CNBC that a “small minority” (most likely referring to the Tea Partiers) have created the kinds of problems that interfere with goals of spending reforms and growth initiatives. He said this “minority” was putting undue pressure on the mainstream Republican leadership, “whether it was fiscal cliff or whether it was a shutdown or the near approach to a debt default.”

When it comes to predictions about the political landscape of 2015, Eric Cantor said it will depend on how well those in government can work together. He expressed concerns that President Obama has implied he will push immigration reform with or without Congress, and Cantor said, “That will light a fuse. I think the American people want to see folks work together.” He sees the potential that Republicans can address issues with spending and deal with pro-growth initiatives. However, the other scenario could be that there will be those who say, “Wait a minute. We want to make sure we can kick the can so we can deal with only Republicans. That gets complicated.”