By Jason Peck Rappahannock News Staff Writer The year

By Jason Peck

Rappahannock News Staff Writer

The year was 2002. President George W. Bush was riding on the highest approval ratings in Gallup history, and Republicans controlled both houses of Congress. Congressman Roy Blunt was the third-most powerful Republican in the House.

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay had made the Missouri congressman the Republican whip. That decision turned Blunt into the second-most powerful, charged with rounding up the Republican congressman, making sure they towed the party line on important legislation.

But Blunt needed a deputy whip. He turned to a first-term congressman with little name recognition outside of Richmond.

And thus, Rappahannock’s and Culpeper’s congressman Eric Cantor made the news in Washington.

Now it’s 2006, and Cantor’s still there. He’s the youngest of the House’s top five Republicans, and one of its strongest conservatives. Lately, he has also become a more familiar name in the media, making the rounds on Fox News and CNNAnd when he speaks, he rarely reaches the middle of the road.

“For the last two and a half weeks Democrats have made America less competitive, less free and less safe,” Cantor wrote 100 days after the Democratcontrolled 110th Congress began. “House Republican values steer America in a direction that is more competitive and provides Americans with more free choice and more security.”

But the lack of name recognition stands in stark contrast to his influence. Within two terms, Cantor was in the running for Majority Leader. And those close say he’s on the shortlist to be Speaker of the House, should the Republicans regain it.

“If everything goes according to plan, he will rise through House leadership,” said David Wasserman, with the University of Virginia Center for Politics. “It’s extremely difficult to rise in 2008, but Erie Cantor always gets to move up a rung ”