to cash in.

Either way this is BS. Serve your term.

His wife, OTOH, looked like she was holding back tears. Not to worry! He'll make lots more $ shilling for a corporate lobbying firm than he did in Congress

If VA law allows the governor to appoint a successor, then why bother with a special election? Cantor should step down on election day and whoever is declared the winner of the Congressional race would be appointed by the Governor to start early.

The general rule is that the Governor can fill vacancies in the U.S. Senate seats (sometimes for the rest of the term, sometimes only until the next general election), but that House vacancies are always filled by special election.

The difference is in the timing. A writ has to be issued, and then the election is held 17 working days after the writ's declaration. In other words, there's no hanging around. I don't think the same can be said around here, since I think a primary election has to be held as well - at least that's the case in NC.

There's often a primary, but it's conceivable that some states allow the political party committees to pick the candidates for the special election to fill out the unexpired term.

I think the distinction between House and Senate is a holdover from the days when the people chose the House members but the Senators were picked by the state legislatures. Nowadays there's really no reason to treat the two kinds of vacancies differently.

The special election will happen on the general election day. The Rep elected from the special election will be sworn in immediately, vs the winner of the general election will be sworn in in January. Presumeably, they'll be the same person. Thus their Rep will have about 3 months headstart, placing them at head of the line in seniority among incoming freshmen.

and hold the election when it's scheduled.

Any Dem running against Brat will be at a disadvantage right now b/c everyone in VA knows Brat since he defeated Cantor. The Dem is not that well known.

He already lost, he has nothing left to lose, Dave Brat is the GOP candidate for the general election, now Cantor is leaving early, taking his ball and going home.

I bet he got a job on the new Sarah Palin quitter channel

... I just don't want to ever see his face in Congress again.

I'm hoping for a long, painful, and devastating ride to the bottom.

I'll tune in to watch Mickey Rourke pound Eric Cantor on Celebrity Boxing.

looking for the bigger check from his former paymasters in politics.

He should stay and honor his obligation of the party can do without a congresscritter for 2 months.. It;s not like they are soooo close in numbers with us..

It has been marked by a distinct lack of accomplishing anything, and Cantor has a reason for that. Maybe he means that once he is gone, something could happen... at least in relative terms.

He could be in Ted Nugent's new band and play at tea party fundraisers.

He wants a special election, knowing the baggers wil turn out for Brat. It's like free publicity.
Can McCauliffe just say no to the special election?

I do think Cantor has a lobbying job lined up, but he could wait until Nov to resign. The lobbyists job will wait for him.

and/or serving on various Corporate Boards very quickly. Still glad he was toppled from his former job though.

that's a good thing