Eric Cantor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eric Cantor
Official portrait, 2012
House Majority Leader
In office January 3, 2011 – August 1, 2014
Speaker	John Boehner
Preceded by	Steny Hoyer
Succeeded by	Kevin McCarthy
House Minority Whip
In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011
Leader	John Boehner
Preceded by	Roy Blunt
Succeeded by	Steny Hoyer
House Republican Chief Deputy Whip
In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2009
Appointed by	Roy Blunt
Leader	Dennis Hastert
Preceded by	Roy Blunt
Succeeded by	Kevin McCarthy
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 7th district
In office January 3, 2001 – August 18, 2014
Preceded by	Thomas J. Bliley Jr.
Succeeded by	Dave Brat
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 73rd district
In office January 8, 1992 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by	Walter Stosch
Succeeded by	John O'Bannon
Personal details
Born	Eric Ivan Cantor (1963-06-06) June 6, 1963 (age 62) Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Diana Fine ​ (m. 1989)​
Children	3
Education	George Washington University (BA) College of William and Mary (JD) Columbia University (MS)

Eric Ivan Cantor (born June 6, 1963) is an American lawyer and former politician. He was a member of the Republican Party. From 2001 to 2014, he represented Virginia's 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.

Cantor held important leadership roles in the House of Representatives. He was the House Minority Whip from 2009 to 2011. Then, he became the House Majority Leader from 2011 to 2014. Before joining the U.S. House, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates.

In 2014, Eric Cantor lost a primary election for his seat. This was a big surprise to many political experts. After this loss, he resigned from his leadership role. He also left Congress a few weeks later. He then started working at an investment bank. At that time, he was the highest-ranking Jewish member in the history of Congress.

Early Life and Education

Eric Cantor was born in Richmond, Virginia. He was the second of three children. His mother was a schoolteacher, and his father owned a real estate business. His family came to the U.S. from Russia, Romania, and Latvia. Cantor was raised in the Conservative Judaism faith.

He went to the Collegiate School in Richmond. After graduating in 1981, he attended George Washington University (GW). While at GW, he worked as an intern for a House Republican from Virginia. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1985. Later, he received a law degree from William & Mary Law School in 1988. He also earned a Master of Science degree from Columbia University in 1989. Before becoming a politician, Cantor worked in his family's real estate business.

Time in the Virginia House of Delegates

Eric Cantor served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1992 to 2001. This is a part of Virginia's state government. He was a member of several important committees during his time there.

In 2000, Cantor decided to run for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. This seat was being left open by Tom Bliley. Cantor had helped with Bliley's past election campaigns. He won the Republican primary election by a very small number of votes.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

Committee Work

During his first term in the U.S. House, Cantor led a special group. This group focused on terrorism. He also served on important committees. These included the House Financial Services Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee. These committees deal with money and taxes.

Party Leadership Roles

In 2002, Eric Cantor was chosen for a leadership role. He became the Chief Deputy Republican Whip. This was a high position within the Republican Party in the House.

Cantor and other House and Senate leaders meeting with President Barack Obama in November 2010.

In 2008, Cantor was chosen as the Republican Whip for the 111th Congress. As Whip, he was the second-highest Republican in the House. His job was to help coordinate votes and share messages among Republican members. When Republicans gained control of the House in 2011, Cantor became the majority leader. In this role, he was still second-in-command to the Speaker of the House.

Cantor was also a member of the Republican Jewish Coalition. He was known as a top fundraiser for the Republican Party. He helped create the GOP Young Guns Program. This program supports new conservative leaders. In 2010, he co-wrote a book called Young Guns. It shared ideas for a "common sense" approach to government.

As House Majority Leader, Cantor played a key role in the 2013 government shutdown. He was given special power to decide which bills could be voted on. This decision was criticized by some. They believed it made the shutdown last longer.

Important Laws and Bills

Cantor strongly supported the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act. He even named the bill after Gabriella Miller. This law stopped taxpayer money from going to presidential campaigns. Instead, that money would be used for pediatric cancer research. This meant $126 million for research over 10 years. Cantor said this showed that Congress cared more about medical research than political parties.

He also helped pass the STOCK Act. This law made it necessary for members of Congress to share their stock investments. This made their finances more open to the public. He also helped pass the JOBS Act. This law aimed to help small businesses grow. It included ideas like crowdfunding for new companies. Cantor also suggested a 20 percent tax cut for small businesses.

Political Beliefs

Eric Cantor was the only Jewish Republican in Congress for much of his career. He strongly supported United States–Israel relations. He wanted to stop U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority until certain conditions were met. He believed a strong relationship between the U.S. and Israel was very important.

Economy and Trade

Cantor supported free trade. He voted for trade agreements with countries like Peru and Australia. He also voted for the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). He voted against raising the minimum wage in 2007. He also supported the TARP program. This program helped banks during a financial crisis in 2008.

He voted against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This was a big economic recovery plan. He believed the government should not spend more wisely than the people.

Political Campaigns and Elections

Cantor represented Virginia's 7th congressional district. This area includes parts of Richmond and its suburbs. It has traditionally been a strong area for Republicans.

Virginia House of Delegates Elections

Cantor was first elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1991. He ran unopposed in that election. He was re-elected several times without facing any opponents.

U.S. House of Representatives Elections

Cantor was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000. He won by a large margin. He was one of only two Jewish Republicans in the House at that time. He continued to win re-election in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012. In 2008, he was even considered as a possible Vice-Presidential running mate.

2014 Primary Election and Resignation

On June 10, 2014, something unexpected happened. Cantor lost the Republican primary election to Dave Brat. Brat was a college professor and a Tea Party candidate. This was a huge surprise because Cantor was the first sitting House Majority Leader to lose a primary election since 1899. Cantor had spent much more money on his campaign than Brat.

Many reasons were given for Cantor's loss. Some thought he had become disconnected from his district. Others believed his supporters were not excited enough to vote. Low voter turnout also played a role. Local news outlets had noticed signs that Cantor was in trouble before the election.

After his primary defeat, Cantor announced he would step down as House Majority Leader. He also said he would not run in the general election. A few weeks later, he resigned from Congress on August 18, 2014. After leaving Congress, Eric Cantor became a vice chairman at an investment bank called Moelis & Company.

Electoral history

*Write-in candidate notes: In 2000, write-ins received 304 votes. In 2002, write-ins received 153 votes. In 2004, write-ins received 568 votes. In 2006, write-ins received 272 votes. In 2008, write-ins received 683 votes. In 2010, write-ins received 413 votes. In 2012, write-ins received 914 votes.

Personal Life

Eric Cantor met his wife, Diana Marcy Fine, on a blind date. They got married in 1989. They have three children named Evan, Jenna, and Michael.

Diana Cantor is a lawyer and a certified public accountant. She also held leadership roles in finance. She founded the Virginia College Savings Plan. This agency helps people save money for college.

See also

In Spanish: Eric Cantor para niños

• List of Jewish members of the United States Congress