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Cantor Promises Health Care Repeal to Virginia GOP Activists

Majority Leader-designate Eric Cantor said Saturday that Republicans’ willingness to work with Democrats and the White House was conditional and that the party would quickly push through the House a full repeal of the health care reform bill that was passed earlier this year.

The Virginia Republican was speaking at the 27th annual Donald W. Huffman Advance, a gathering of some 600 Virginia GOP leaders and activists at a hotel in Tysons Corner, Va.

“Many in the press have asked all of us and have asked me as the next Majority Leader in Congress whether we’re actually going to work with President Obama next year. And my answer is: not if the President continues to support deficits into the trillions that will burden our children and theirs,” he said.

“If he continues to insist to support Obamacare that threatens to bankrupt this Commonwealth and this country,” Cantor continued, “we will all stand up and say no.”

Among the many state party leaders in attendance was Rep.-elect Scott Rigell, one of three Republicans in the state to defeat a House Democratic incumbent. With that success coming on the heels of last year’s GOP sweep of statewide offices, this was a weekend of celebration for the state party.

Cantor said the new House majority’s three top priorities were to cut spending, shrink the size of the federal government and to remove the “cloud of uncertainty” hanging over job creators. He continued to excite the crowd by promising that the House would immediately bring forth a repeal bill for health care reform.

“In the upcoming Congress, you can be assured that the Republican majority in the House will quickly push through a repeal bill of the trillion-dollar Obamacare bill,” he said.

Cantor directed his closing remarks at the White House and Congressional Democrats. “We will work with you, but we will never compromise our principles.”

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