General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDave Brat was elected because he ran against the very few things that Eric Cantor did
As for the winner, Brat seems a very bad combination of serious religious quester and devout Randian economist, a combination that would have had Ms. Rand herself reaching for the opium pipe. He got his undergraduate degree at Hope College in Michigan, which is run by the Reformed Church in the United States, a conservative evangelical wing of the United Church Of Christ. He then got a Masters in Divinity at Princeton, which is a very conservative seminary and now, according to his website, Dave attends St. Mary's Catholic Church with his wife Laura and their two children: Jonathan, 15 and Sophia, 11. So either he's a Douthatian convert, god help us, or his faith is all over the lot, which may account for his rather startling announcement last night that he won because God was speaking through the voters of the Seventh Congressional District of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Even his background in economics is shot through with conspicuous religiosity.
...
What's that mean? Who in hell knows, although any attempt to marry Niebuhr's theology with Rand's economics and general view of the world -- to say nothing of her atheism -- is going to be more appropriate to the Cirque du Soleil than to a political philosophy. Nevertheless, Professor Dave Brat has taught his first lesson. The worst possible thing any Republican politician can do -- even a powerful politician, even a member of the congressional leadership -- is to demonstrate, however faintly, that the national government should work at all.
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/The_Dave_Brat_Lesson
Ichingcarpenter
(36,988 posts)and as we see everybody is scrambling to figure out WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED? from the left to the right.
It will end up being a case study for political scientists
mudy waters
(41 posts)Democrats and Independents who saw this as their only opportunity to unseat Cantor voted in large numbers. And the Tea Part has a pretty strong network in the 7th. That's it. It really was an instance where the left and right came together to destroy an entrenched politician.
phantom power
(25,966 posts)I mean, the Dem candidate might win, but based on what I've read it's far from a sure thing.
gwheezie
(3,580 posts)Brat went after Cantor on obamacare, called him a socialist, named him the lyin king, bashed him on his wall st ties, the dbt limit etc
old guy
(3,281 posts)if people really looked closely at Brat or just voted against Cantor to change things. Most people I am around who lean to the right seem to think that anyone can go and govern. No experience necessary. This is a long way from reality and those that think that are more often than not disappointed in the results, not that they will ever admit it. Does he have a resume or does he just talk the talk?
Johonny
(20,681 posts)They hate that congress has done nothing, but aren't smart enough to consider that the very people they vote for are the cause of that and doubling down on crazy won't help them at all. If Eric Cantor (95+% RW voter) can't get it done is this nut bag going to get it done.