Eric Cantor will leave Congress early

Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), who lost his primary this year in a shocking upset, said Thursday that he would resign his Congressional seat this August rather than serving out his term, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Cantor had stepped down as Majority Leader earlier this week, and was replaced by Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). He hadn't previously mentioned any plans to leave Congress early, and didn't specify why he was doing so in a Friday op-ed about the decision.

But recently, Politico's Mike Allen wrote that Cantor "is expected to take a New York finance job as part of a lucrative new life." (Cantor's aides emphasized to Allen nothing was decided.)

Cantor has endorsed Dave Brat, who defeated him in the primary. Check out Vox's coverage of Cantor's loss here. And you can watch Cantor's farewell address to the House, delivered Thursday, below:

Explanatory journalism is a public good

At Vox, we believe that everyone deserves access to information that helps them understand and shape the world they live in. That's why we keep our work free. Support our mission and help keep Vox free for all by making a financial contribution to Vox today.

One-Time Monthly Annual

$95/year

$120/year

$250/year

$350/year

Other

$

Yes, I'll give $120/year

Yes, I'll give $120/year

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via