![]() He helped find many of the 87 when he was nearly a freshman himself, having served only two terms by the time the House flipped in 2010. Well-liked and trusted by many House Republicans, McCarthy had an eye for recruiting new talent outside of traditional beltway politics. “In a sense, the battle between Boehner and Cantor is a sort of battle for control of the soul of the Republican coalition,” Joshua Green, a Bloomberg Businessweek reporter, told FRONTLINE. ![]() It was a difficult line to walk: While he had the respect of the Tea Partiers, he only had their loyalty as long as he remained aligned with their values. As House Speaker John Boehner’s heir apparent, he served as a kind of go-between for the Tea Party and the establishment. When the mood shifted in the party as Obama came into office, Cantor, then the House minority whip, pivoted to position himself as a reformer, aligning with newcomer Paul Ryan.Ĭantor became House majority leader in 2011, when the Republicans took back the House. He was first elected to the House in 2000 election and was appointed chief deputy whip in 2003. Smart and ambitious, Cantor rose quickly through the ranks of the House leadership. Eric Cantor, Virginia the House majority leader The trio also produced an ad, bedecked with American flags, that critiques the gridlock in Washington and promises a “better way.”Įach Gun contributed a set of skills that, when combined, would allow them to become arguably the most influential triumvirate in Washington. They set up a website, wrote a book, and started looking for strong candidates who could run for office and take back the House in 2010. The Young Guns created a model for candidates who shared their values that explained the steps that they could take to running for office. … They represent the face of a Republican Party that has moved ever-rightward as the base of the party moved South and West.” “And it was an uncompromising conservatism, when in fact, as we remember, Ronald Reagan compromised many times. “They fancied themselves the new Reagan revolution, but they represented a conservatism that Ronald Reagan never even attempted,” said Jackie Calmes, who covered their rise for The New York Times. The self-proclaimed “Young Guns” began plotting their rise just as many Republicans feared the party was doomed.īut Eric Cantor, Kevin McCarthy and Paul Ryan, three young House Republicans, had a plan to move the party away from the dusty establishment and into the 21st century. Check your local listings to find out when it will be broadcast on your local station. Cliffhanger, FRONTLINE’s investigation inside how Washington has failed to solve the country’s debt and deficit problems, airs tonight at a special time on the night of President Obama’s State of the Union address.
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