Mr. Cantor goes to Washington on Wednesday as the first Virginia congressman to become the House majority leader, the first Jewish majority leader and one of the youngest members of Congress to hold the post.
In a day of pomp and partying, Rep. Eric Cantor, R-7th, a Henrico County resident, will officially assume his duties as the No. 2 leader in the House of Representatives.
Cantor will be joined by three new Republican lawmakers from Virginia. Robert Hurt, R-5th, Scott Rigell, R-2nd, and H. Morgan Griffith, R-9th, will be sworn in at noon to the 112th Congress.
All three defeated Democratic incumbents, changing the makeup of Virginia's U.S. House delegation from six Democrats and five Republicans to eight Republicans and three Democrats. The new Congress will have 242 Republicans and 193 Democrats.