Why Eric Cantor Lost To Dave Brat – Business Insider

A new Public Policy Polling survey conducted in Cantor’s district Tuesday night provides some insight into the reasons for Cantor’s loss. The survey was conducted for the liberal group Americans United for Change, which supports immigration reform, and the questions described the immigration reform plans being debated in Congress in highly favorable terms.

But the poll suggests Cantor’s stance on immigration is overrated as a factor and, generally, that he had simply become deeply unpopular in his district.

Overall, only 30% of respondents from Cantor’s district approved of his job performance, a dangerous level for any incumbent. And 63% disapproved. Among Republicans, Cantor’s approval-to-disapproval split was just 43-49.

House Republican leadership is even more unpopular in Cantor’s district — just 26% of voters approve of it, while 67% disapprove. Among Republicans, the approval-to-disapproval split sits at 41-50.

“Cantor didn’t lose because of immigration,” PPP director Tom Jensen wrote in a memo accompanying the poll. “He lost because of the deep unpopularity of both himself personally and of the Republican House leadership.”

The results also suggest Cantor’s district supports the immigration reform plan that passed the Senate last year — though it was described in the poll in highly favorable terms that sometimes as pro-immigration reform talking points.

via Why Eric Cantor Lost To Dave Brat – Business Insider.