New Breed – Cantor chooses McCarthy as deputy whip
By Brian Kirwin | Monday, December 1st, 2008 | PoliticsIs this the beginning of the Reagan Teenagers?
Politico reports the first wave of new Republicanism as Virginia’s Eric Cantor, Congressman and House Minority Whip, chose Rep Kevin McCarthy as his top deputy.
McCarthy is just completing his first term in the House. He’s a former chair of the Young Republican National Federation. And he’s the top deputy to the #2 Republican in the House. McCarthy’s 43 and Cantor is 45. This is the start of the next generation of leadership I like to call Reagan Teenagers, folks who cut their teeth in politics and made their first votes during the Reagan years.
House Minority Leader John Boehner is in an odd position. He was part of the Gingrich Revolution that authored the Contract with America and led an activist Republican party to leadership at odds with then-GOP leader Bob Michel.
Now Boehner has a Cantor-McCarthy tandem ready to do what Boehner and Newt did in 1994.
What does it mean? A Republican Party more in tune with blogs, the internet, and the issues that confront middle class America and a connection we haven’t seen, well, we haven’t seen since the early 90s.
The national generational shift of the Republican Party may have just begun today.
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The right wants to jeer him. The left wants to censor him. Moderates usually want both. Brian Kirwin is a political consultant and public relations strategist in Virginia Beach with a lightning-rod flair. Brian also serves on the VB Arts & Humanities Commission and frequently appears on Hampton Roads theatrical stages, if only to prove that all actors aren’t liberals. Kirwin’s columns stir up debate and hit the political scene with no punches pulled.
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3 Responses to "New Breed – Cantor chooses McCarthy as deputy whip"
This new generation of Republican leaders is a good thing. We need to improve our online networks and our minority outreach.
I think that the new leaders who are stepping up(i.e. Sarah Palin, Eric Cantor, Mike Huckabee, Mike Pence, Bobby Jindal, and others.) have an ability to connect with the American people in a meaningful way. These leaders can help to renew our party.
Steve- Cantor is the weakest in the bunch. Sure he strong on national security and pro-Isreal precepts but in term of economic issues he has embarrassed himself often on cable. I have supported him in the 7th, but his bailout positions are hardly fiscal conservative and it is my contention that in order for the GOP to return to leadership it will be the fiscal conservatives who will lead the way. If you look at the results the last two cycles in places like Henrico County- that is where the Democrats plan to grow grassroots opposition to Cantor where they see signs of hope given Webb and Obama’s performances there the last two cycles. Its one of the largest localities of the 7th to be sure and has demonstrated a more moderate voter demographic in recent years. Though I supported him, I know countless Republicans here in Chesterfield that do not care for him too much and prefer a Randy Forbes (R)to him who represents the other half of the County in Congress. It demonstrates a level of disconnect between the “party” and the voters given a majority here disapprove of the bailouts and yet the “party” just rewarded Cantor for doing just that. Should the Dems truly focus, as they certainly will, and go after Cantor with the coffers like they did Goode with Tom Periello, for the first time in Cantor’s tenure he may actually find himself in a real campaign come 2010 or 2012.
Alter, you make some good points on the issue with the bailout. I fairness to Cantor he was trying to take as much pain out of that bill as possible. Still at the end of the day I agree with Bob Goodlatte and Virgil Goode, I oppose the bailout. I disagree that somehow one branch of the GOP is going to come in and lead the party to victory. It will take all conservatives working together to get that job done. The fiscal health of our nation is crucial, however, social and security issues should also be addressed with all of the energy conservatism has to offer.
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