Rep. Cantor's right tilt puts him on McCain's radar

A Virginian didn't make it onto the Democratic ticket this year, but there's still a chance one will land a spot with the Republicans.

With presidential candidate Sen. John McCain expected to name his choice this weekend, U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor of Henrico County continues to be mentioned as a possible running mate, albeit not as frequently as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Cantor is in his fourth House term, representing a district that stretches north and west from the Richmond suburbs and includes much of the state's Piedmont region. It is a Republican stronghold, with more than 61 percent of its voters backing President Bush in 2004.

A Richmond native, Cantor earned an undergraduate degree at George Washington University and a law degree at the College of William and Mary. He also received a master's degree at Columbia University.

Cantor's wife, Diana, probably is better known than her husband to most Virginians, particularly those outside his district. She was director of the Virginia College Savings Plan from 1996 until January of this year, frequently appearing in television ads that encouraged parents to enroll in the tax-free savings program.

Eric Cantor, who won a Richmond-area seat in the House of Delegates in 1991, moved to Congress in 2000 after a bitter GOP primary battle with state Sen. Steve Martin of Chesterfield County. He has not been challenged seriously since then and has quickly established himself as a rising star among House Republicans.

In December 2002, after just one term in Washington, Cantor was named chief deputy to House Republican Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri, a position that puts him in charge of keeping GOP members in line on partisan issues. He also serves as finance chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, a critical source of money for GOP candidates.

Not surprisingly, given those posts, he is considered a reliable supporter of President Bush, voting with his fellow Republicans more than 92 percent of the time in the current Congress, according to statistics collected by Congressional Quarterly.

Cantor's alignment with Bush figures to be a target for Democrats, who are seeking to brand McCain as an extension of the incumbent. But Cantor may reassure conservative Republicans nervous about the Arizona senator's departures from the GOP line on issues such as immigration and campaign finance reform.

The party tapped Cantor to come to Denver for appearances Tuesday that were intended to steer some attention away from the Democratic National Convention.

Cantor criticized Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's running mate, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, saying that on "the most important national-security question facing this country, which is Iran, Joe Biden has been wrong."

Cantor called Iran a destabilizing influence and a threat to America and to Israel's security. He said Biden has been wrong to pursue engagement with Iran.

Biden won't help Democrat Obama win over Virginia voters, Cantor said later.

"His record is not one that is necessarily reflective of the center-right," he said. At the end of the day, Virginia tends to be a "common-sense conservative state," he added.

Cantor, 45, is the only Jewish Republican in the House, and his selection also could help McCain reach out to Jewish voters, a group that generally favors Democrats. And Cantor's youth and energy could help the 71-year-old McCain among young voters who have flocked this year to Obama.

 The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Dale Eisman, (703) 913-9872, dale.eisman@pilotonline.com